


Foe Of Yesterday

by GameCake



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Gore, Dead People, Derek Hale is highly appreciated, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Greek Mythology - Freeform, Humor, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, I used myself to create a character and then I killed her, I'm in pain to even think about what I forced on the characters sorry, Love Confessions, M/M, Minor Character Death, Multi, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Mythology - Freeform, Nice Jackson, Nightmares, Scott McCall & Stiles Stilinski Friendship, Slow Build, Stiles and Malia aren't together, Stiles is paranoid, Stiles-centric, Stilinski Family Feels, a little sad!Derek, but like partly, everyone is trying, everything is almost nice until it's not, fluffy and all, fuck yeah I love greek mythology, nightmares are kinda graphic, season 4 happened, sort of, this is so nice, whooops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-03-22 01:47:48
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 40,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3710302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GameCake/pseuds/GameCake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Her brilliant eyes are roaming all around the class like she is searching for something for a few seconds, before she is closing her eyes tight. She then brings her hand over her ears and mouths a weak no. For a second Stiles thinks he has a déjà vu, but in fact, he realises, that this reminds him of himself back when the nogitsune was still in town. And Stiles feels for her. He can relate.</p><p>A tear runs down her face that has her bury her face in her arms and let a small whimper. He wanted to reach out to her. He wanted to offer her what he had when he was in that state; support. But he isn’t sure. He isn’t sure what to do and how to do it. Maybe it’s not like his case, maybe it’s not even supernatural, maybe she just has a mental illness, or health problem. Okay, that actually makes it worse.<br/>He thinks about it. She whimpers again. The bell rings. <i> Fuck it. </i></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It's actually my fist real fanfiction (as I choose to ignore the one I wrote over 3 years ago, you don't want to read it), and I really hope it appeals to anyone who might read it.
> 
> Un-beta'd sorry.  
> Please do note that English is not my native language, so I'm sorry in advance about any ridiculous mistakes I might make.  
> Also note that dictation isn't my forte.
> 
> Thank you for your time :)

_Voices won't go away_  
_They stay for days and days_  
_They say some awful things, ways to make you fade away_  
_I don't think no one's home_  
_And we're just here alone_  
_I better find you first, before you find the phone_

\---------

 

Tired. 

That’s all he ever wakes up to. Tiredly waking up to the sound of his alarm. He is not exactly a heavy sleeper, but it’s not like he wakes up to the slightest sound, but once his alarm goes off he is instantly awake. That doesn’t mean he gets up, though. He always stays in bed under the secure warm blankets and wishes that those 2 more minutes of sleep might make him less tired.

 _You can’t have everything you wish for, right?_  he thinks and defeated he sits upright on his bed and stretching out. His muscles feel sore even though he haven’t been doing much of anything really. This whole tiredness thing is making his dysania so much worse.

He doesn’t realize when his life got to this point. The point where he doesn’t give a single fuck about school or responsibilities, but it’s just how it feels. He has a routine now. It’s almost like auto-pilot. Wake up- Go to school- Have lunch- Take a shower- Do homework- Go to sleep. Somewhere in between of these comes the best-friend inducted drama that he is too tired to think about.

Sighing, he goes to the bathroom, brushing his teeth and looking at his reflection in the mirror. When he is done, he sighs again, like it was too much of an effort, and goes downstairs for a quick breakfast before he leaves for school.

“’Morning dad.” he says grabbing the milk.

“’Morning son” his dad replies without looking up from the toast he is making. And Stiles is almost grateful because he looks too tired to be normal, so he says a quick bye as he collects a cookie and then hurries to his Jeep to go to school.

 

So school. What’s the point in this shit? He already knows half of the things he is being taught and he finds all the extra exercises completely pointless. Well, okay school is essential and all that, but it still seems pointless. Most of his homework is a repeat of what he did in the classroom and he is not stupid, he understood what the teacher said, he was able to do the whatever he had to do on his own in class and he did it! 

That’s why when he pretends to pay attention he is actually thinking “Hell, I’m too smart for this”.  Well, he is not the smartest, there is always Lydia. The strawberry-blonde goddess who he used to be so deeply in love with since 3rd grade. Which… he doesn’t really think about anymore. Since they became close friends his interest has slightly died. Well, not died, he is still in awe of her whenever he sees her, but he just… finds himself thinking about someone else from time to time. Someone more intimidating and- nope. He is so not thinking about that. He is so not acknowledging his crush. 

Right, anyway, school. Yeah. Suppose he is there at least 8 hours daily, his mind stays there like 5 hours tops. He always finds himself drifting off, zoning in and out whenever it’s needed. He would probably go insane without his best friend. Scott, Scotty, his bro. What would he do without him? Without his girlfriend related problems? Or supernatural shit for the matter.

Stiles thinks about all these as he heads straight to the class and takes his usual seat by the window, resting his head on his arms. Sooner enough the classroom is filled with students so he decides it’s time to raise his head and get himself ready to be educated. He slowly looks around, his eyes unfocused and spots Scott just as he enters the room and-  uh-oh.

“Guh! I know that look. I don’t like that look. That’s the look you get when something is going on” he groaned.

Scott looked almost sceptical, “It’s nothing probably, everything is okay…” he says in the end and then frowns at Stiles. “You okay?” 

“Nope.” He said and before Scott could say anything he added “I’m just tired, nothing to worry about.” He says waving Scott off just as the teacher tries to silence the class.

 

First period went pretty fast, just like the rest of his classes until lunch time. He knows he is drifting off again until Lydia interrupts his thoughts. 

“Jackson said he is coming next week.” She says informally.

“He- what, really?” Stiles asked as he processed what she said. He wasn’t particularly excited but he was kind of… pleased? Well, Jackson was always an asshole, but after the kanima thing and all the Skype video calls he was forced to attend, he ended up feeling kind of fond of the blond boy. 

“He is coming on Monday. Says it’s been a while and he wants to be here with us.” She posted shrugging like it was not big deal. But  _right._  She doesn’t say what they all thought ‘after what happened’. It’s been months. But they still mourn. They still can’t let go. Stiles cuts his thought there before he starts thinking about all the deaths. About Allison. Or Aiden. Or about older wounds like Erica. And Boyd.  _Right._ There. That was what he wanted to avoid. Stupid ADHD mind wandering around in dark corners. 

“Cool. It’s high time I met him, I guess.” Kira said with a smile probably sensing everyone’s distress.

“Yeah… Guess it is” Scott said smiling back and side hugging her.

They don’t discuss anything important after that. It’s kind of soothing. Having a normal conversation about normal teenage problems that have nothing to do with supernatural life or death plans. And Stiles just… embraces it… lets moments like that pass without complaints, quite the opposite if he is being honest. He absolutely fears the moment that normal word shutters like it a wall made of glass. And once this normality breaks, small, tiny, glass pieces fall everywhere and he feels like they are piercing his skin full force when the supernatural danger breaks in. 

He thinks he hides this kind of fears pretty good. He looks calm. He says he is okay. He acts normal. And he thinks he convinces everyone. Even if they don’t believe him, then they say nothing. They would probably think that he is… adjusting… recovering. Stiles thinks that’s just stupid. He is perfectly fine. Just afraid. Not broken, just anxious. That’s all. He is not paranoid or anything… well okay maybe he is paranoid, but it doesn’t matter, that’s not the point.

That night he finds himself watching the rest TV shows he missed due to… things. Not going there again dammit! Anyway, he lost pretty much everything and after 7 episodes he grows so tired that he almost falls asleep, face down on his keyboard. He quickly turns off his laptop and goes to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics used: "Another Way Out" by Hollywood Undead.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I uploaded chap 2 because I won't have my computer, or internet connection for the matter, for the next 5 days and my plan for this fic is to upload twice a week. :)

_Your spirit never dies,_  
Farewell, I've gone, to take my throne,  
Above, don't weep for me,  
Cause this will be the labor of my love.

\-----------

 

 

 

The next morning, he wakes up with a jolt. He was confused at first, not understanding why he woke up like this and he soon realizes that it was no due to any nightmare or anything like that, but because of his phone going off, not his alarm, his phone. That was his ringtone. The Fall out Boy song loudly ringing so close to his ear that makes him groan.

“What” he matters as soon as he accepts the call. 

“Ehmm… dude, were you sleeping? You missed first period!” Scott only half-yelled.

“I- Wha-uh?” he says as he checks the time and- yeah. He is definitely late. “Oh my god!” he groans loudly shooting off his bed running to his closet to find any clothes.

“I guess I’ll see you soon?” Scott asks from the other line and Stiles had completely forgotten he was still on the phone.

“Yeah, yeah, see you soon. In 10. Maybe. I’ll try” he mutters as he hurries to hang up, just as Scott tries to say something.

He wears the first pair of jeans he finds, a black t-shirt and a random plaid shirt- right now he feels blessed his wardrobe is that simple, no one cares what you think Lydia. He quickly goes to the bathroom and then bursts out of the house driving as fast as he is allowed to school.

 

He thinks it’s a complete miracle that the teacher is late –Stiles is later but that’s not the point, the point is that the teacher is late too so she almost closed the door on his face.

“Sorry” he mutters, hurrying to his seat. So another day begins. He soon finds himself doodling all over his books, zoning in and out and laying judgmental looks on annoyingly stupid answers to the teacher’s questions, until the bell rings and he shoots off his seat running down the corridors to meet Scott.

“Hey, man, did you make 2nd period?” Scott asks almost curiously, but Stiles didn’t miss the look he had before that smile. That look, that look was worth panicking for, the look that screams that shit goes down.

“Yeah I did, I know it sounds impossible but adrenaline is a nice thing and I may or may not have produced a lot of it this morning” Stiles stated while scrutinizing Scott. “ Okay spill. What’s going on?”

Scott sighs visibly- and loudly- and then stared into Stiles’s eyes for several seconds. Stiles could only hope it’s something about Kira and his internally pray to any god to be girlfriend related and  _not_ any kind of supernatural disaster. Scott slowly took a deep breath. “We found a dead body and something is definitely wrong, because whoever was the killer didn’t smell human” he revealed.

And just like that the glass of normality broke, he can almost feel the pieces fall next to his feet. The goes his normal, quiet days.  _Of course_ , he thought. Nothing ever goes according to his needs and wants. This fucking town can’t stay at peace. Problem averted and now peace? Hell no, problem averted, some quiet months and hey look! A new problem! Damn. 

Stiles let out a defeated sigh. He stayed calm, at least as calm as anyone can be after being informed about a murder. “Did you check it out?” he quizzed.

“Actually, Malia found it. She called me and then I followed. For the record, it was awful. You are glad you didn’t have to see it.” Scott only half jokes.

 _Worse than I have already seen?_  Stiles thought but instead said “Well then I guess Jackson isn’t coming after all…”

Scott looked puzzled “Why would you say that?”

“Because he has been pointedly avoiding coming home at any supernatural situations and I know we don’t exactly fill him with everything, we still inform him when shit goes down.” Stiles responded and if he flailed his arms a bit it’s totally not his fault.

“Well, we are not even sure it’s anything supernatural, it could be just an animal attack.” Scott said helplessly.

“Anim- Scott! First of all, when has it ever been an animal attack? Secondly, I thought you said you sniffed it out, you literally told me it didn’t smell human almost 2 minutes ago!” Stiles more shouts than whispers aggressively.

“I did! We did! We just… had to wait for Derek and he wasn’t answering my calls!” Scott whined frowning.

“Of course he didn’t! When does Derek ever answers?” Stiles’s face palmed himself. “Did you not think he might have been sleeping?  You could have stopped by his loft Scott.” Stiles said only a little bit calmer.

“I kind of… didn’t think about it? But it doesn’t matter anyway, we are going to ‘sniff’ it after we get off school."

Stiles gaped at Scott. “Of course it matters! What if  the police takes the body before you go?” he asks frantically.

“Your dad would let us in” Scott tried to defend himself weakly. 

“My- you don’t know that! What if he doesn’t? And besides, we could make a lot more in the crime scene than in the morgue. Also, how exactly is my dad supposed to explain to the deputies why teenagers are lurking around,  _again_?” Stiles now fully shouted, exaggerating on 'again', while Scott tried to shush him.

"Don’t shout! Well, I don’t think anyone would really mind… Do you forget that your dad has taken Derek with him multiple times? And Parish most likely won’t mind, when does he ever question our presence?”

Stiles sighed and he was about to answer when the warning bell rang so they had to head to class. They walked there in silence but it was fine because some heavy thinking was going on Stiles’ mind. He was well aware that he probably reeked of anxiety, fear or anything along those lines. Scott’s face, though, gave nothing away, and by the looks of it, Stiles was being a little paranoid again.

Scratch that, he was definitely paranoid.  _A lot_. If spending the next periods until lunch thinking about the murder is anything to go by. He kept considering what Scott told him and his restless mind kept jumping on the worst case scenarios where everyone gets to die ( _again_ ), or where he is left alone to mourn.

His mind is still in a haze of thoughts when he accidently slams his food trail on the table with a little too much force making everyone’s attention to snap to him. It is then he realized that he had spent the last hours aggressively thinking and yeah that’s Scott’s worried face.

“So, a dead body. I’m not even impressed." Liam spoke up while spooning his food.

Scott completely ignored the declaration and asks “We are going to check it out after school. Derek will be there too, everyone okay with it?”

Everyone shrugged around their food. They stay quiet for a while. Well, as quiet they can be with the irritating sound of Lydia’s phone receiving a text every 30 seconds.

“After we finish… whatever, can we meet over to study? We have a test tomorrow and I don’t think I can do it on my own.” Malia asserted after a couple of minutes. 

“Oh, the exam! I totally forgot about that. I’m okay with that plan.” Kira posted with a smile.

 

Stiles blocks the conversation out after that. As a matter of fact, he blocks out the rest of the school day after that until the bell rings and school is over. He hurries to his Jeep waiting there for Liam as Lydia takes the girls and Scott has his bike.

They meet Derek looking at them expectantly several minutes later somewhere in the woods blocking the view of the dead body far behind him.

“Fancy seeing you here.” Stiles joked and Derek just raised one eyebrow clearly unimpressed with Stiles’ wit. 

“Looks like the victim was killed barely an hour before you found him. I don’t seem to recognise the scent. You should have called me sooner, it’s miracle the police didn’t find him yet and ruined the crime scene.” Derek said all too formal like he was sealing a business deal.

“ _Thank you._ ” Stiles mussed as Scott said “I did try to call you, you didn’t answer.” and glared at Stiles, but Stiles only waved him off and moved closer to the crime scene.

 

He tries to find anything useful,  _helpful_ , around him but there is not much. The victim is in his own pool of blood, which ew, a couple of misplaced leaves and branches like there was a minimum of struggle and attempts to get away from the victim’s side. Thank god they are not open in a clearing; it’s really a path that people don’t often use.

There is so much blood, though. So much of it. The victim most probably died from blood loss. Stiles had seen enough blood to be able to clarify that in fact, that might be the case. The area around him looks like a painting really. A specific painting if he was being honest, one that used to hang on the local library’s wall. Splashes of blood, everywhere, covering the trees the leaves the ground. Stiles may or may not throw up by just the blood. He also won’t ever regard that painting on the library’s wall the same way ever again. 

The body lays there motionless- of course motionless, if it moved it would probably mean zombies or any kind of undead and Stiles was so not ready for that- legs slightly parted and his knees look like they were bent while his heart was still beating. His arms were resting next to his torso in a way that reaffirmed that they were shot up trying to stop the attacker from doing whatever to him. His mouth hanging open in a silent scream, that Stiles could almost hear, eyes half lidded open. His neck is bruised and bloody and a long gash plays across his chest. A deep cut that exposes the white bone beneath. There is so much gore in front of him, that Stiles has to look elsewhere if he doesn’t want to get sick. 

He tries to catch up with what his friends are arguing about. He finds them making unsure assumptions that lead them to the absolute nowhere. “I think I should call my dad.” He announces after listening to them barking to each other about their own theories.

Everyone stops and look at him. Scott looks like he is considering it. “Yeah… yeah, you should” he says in the end thoughtfully and nodding.

Said call, doesn’t go exactly smoothly, but it’s not bad either. Apart from the usual worried and paranoid questions his dad settles in “Okay, I got this, go home, all of you, I’ll call you if I need anything.” and then hung up.

Then his phone goes off again. “Actually no, tell Derek to stay. I will probably need him. But the rest of you go home and do your homework!” he instructed and hanged up again before Stiles could even say anything.

“Okay… he says go home” he says for the favour of the Lydia and Kira who don’t have enhanced hearing. He then turns his back to body grateful he doesn’t have to stare at it any longer. It’s more than enough that he has to breathe the awful scent of death and blood, he doesn’t need to be reminded of the image of how awful it is. He partly wonders how can the wolves stand it’s offending smell with their super smelling abilities.

 

He says his goodbyes while Scott decides that he will drop Liam off and the girls are going to study at Kira’s house. He opens his door and is about to get in when a hand stops him from going further by gripping his forearm.

“What?” he asks, while turning around to look at Derek.

“Are you okay?” is all Derek requests. He had the look on his face. The look he used to give to Cora or Isaac sometimes. A soft look with tones of concern. Stiles instantly knew that even if he did lie, which was his original plan, Derek wouldn’t let it go. He wouldn’t back down. He would just wait there all day if he had to and look at Stiles with that look. And his eyes, his beautiful pale green eyes would bore into Stiles whiskey brown and Stiles couldn’t resist that  _understanding_ look for too long.

“I… uh… I don’t know.” he finally speaks up averting his eyes and rubbing the back of his head, a move he used to do a lot more back when he had his buzz cut. “It’s just… I don’t think…” pause. Like he couldn’t muster the energy to finish the sentence. “I don’t think I can have this again, you know?” he added more quietly looking back at Derek’s eyes. And oh that was embarrassing. How his voice ever so slightly cracked and the back of his eyes was slowly burning like he would tear up at any second. And even if it cracked just a slight bit that could very easily go unnoticed, he was sure Derek noticed. Derek always notices. Just how he noticed Stiles wasn’t as fine as he claimed to be, not even 5 minutes ago.

Derek’s face went even softer, an odd look on his face, that Stiles couldn't have guessed he could pull off 2 years ago. He raised his hand to reach and grab Stiles’ shoulder. “It’s okay.” he said. “I know.” he added lower and then did something Stiles hadn’t ever seen him do. He did the unexpected. He tugged Stiles closer and hugged him close. Stiles was tense for half a second before melting into the full-on embrace. He was confused yes because Derek didn’t do hugs. The only times Stiles recalls anything like that was when he side-hugged Cora, and when that crazy, evil English teacher/druid fell in his arms. He half smiles pleased and lets it go though.

“Thank you” he says after a while and pulls off. “I’ll better go now. I don’t think my dad will appreciate me being here after ordering me to go home and do my homework…” he adds with a small smile. Derek nodded and Stiles hummed at the almost smile (it was mostly a curve of his lips upward), and turned around and got in his car.

When he did go home though, he ended up doing his homework, watched TV shows and went to bed so surprisingly early that he didn’t even hear his dad coming home.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics used: "Warriors" by Imagine Dragons


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back early! Thought I would post somthing :)

_Shouldn’t try to fix it, if it keeps getting better,_

_Just let it go, forget it for ever and ever and ever,_

_Don’t ever resent a letter inside a single word written,_

_A little change can play lanes with the right vision._

_\-------------_

 

 

“Oh my god Scott, you don’t understand! I swear I don’t know anything, I’m going to fail so terribly at the exam!”  Stiles whined when he met Scott at school the next day.

“You say that before every exam! Then you keep griping until we get in the classroom and say ‘huh, I know these stuff, I will ace this exam!’. Every time.” Scott says, his imitation of Stiles consisted of much flailing and exaggerating moves. 

“No, I mean it this time!” he moans. “Did you talk to Derek? I didn’t see my dad yesterday so I feel kind of in the dark!” 

“I did. But they don’t know anything much really, just some minor things, it doesn’t matter. They are taking the victim to the morgue to find out more. I guess all we have to do is wait…” Scott shrugged. 

Stiles hummed and they both got in the class. The rest of their day went without any important events, Stiles DID go well in their exam and Scott snorted when Stiles’ exact words were ‘huh, I do know these’ and muttered “Every time.” 

When he got home he did his homework, as he had nothing better to do and he did have a feeling that this weekend would be an eventful one, which meant he needed much free time. Turns out the evening was quiet and when his dad got home they talked, until they settled on the couch and watched a movie.

 

And of course it had to be Sunday night when the wolves- Derek really- caught the scent of the… killer? Creature? Whatever. Stiles was sitting on his bed, laptop on his lap, watching another episode of The Walking Dead when his phone vibrated with a text.

Scott: Derek caught the scent of the thing. Gonna check it out, wanna come? Meeting him at his loft. 

He thought about it. He was going to be useless anyway and also… Walking Dead! Then again he won’t be able to focus now even if he tried. Besides, they need him to prevent them from doing something terribly stupid. Okay, they knew better now but the point still stands.  _Fuck it_. He thinks. 

Stiles: Yeah, sure.

He got up and quickly changed into some clothes that are not pajamas. He put on his shoes, grabbed the doorknob to get out and- “Where do you think you are going?” his dad asked.

“Uhm… Derek’s?”  he answered, turning to look at his dad who was sitting on the couch watching a basketball match.

“Is this a question?” his dad wondered.

“No, it’s not, I’m going to Derek’s. He got a whiff of the-whatever-it-is-that-killed-that-man.” He clarified.

“Adam. The victim’s name was Adam Lewis.” His dad injects. 

“Wha- why didn’t you tell me? I could have researched! I could have-“ Stiles exclaimed before being interrupted by his dad.

“Stiles, in case you didn’t notice, the police is working on it. I’m working on it. It’s our work to work on it. And since you told me about these supernatural… creatures, I’ve been doing my work better. You don’t need to do anything.” He said and before Stiles could respond he added “Why are you even going there? You aren’t a werewolf, how exactly are you going to help smell out a killer?” 

“Daaaaad!” Stiles whined looking at him weakly.

“Fine. You can go. Be back in 2 hours max. You have school tomorrow” his dad agreed after an agonising minute.

“Yay, bye dad!” he yelled, already on his way to his jeep.

 

His way to the loft was quiet, despite music coming from his radio. It gave him some time to think, because let’s face it, it’s not really about “making sure the pack doesn’t do anything stupid”, it’s more about his paranoia. He would go out of his mind if he tried to stay home. He couldn’t have someone to tell him what happened. He was so not good with surprises anymore. Just the thought of something bad happening and having to be told about it by someone else drives his anxiety up on the wall. He can’t stay home and wait to be told who is going to die next. He just can’t.

That’s the real reason he goes. Fear and worst case scenarios creeping back into his mind making him feel like he is suffocating.

It was only normal that when he got there, he was a nervous mess, all jittery and jumpy. He decided to stay a little in his car to calm himself. When was certain he was cool again he got out and climbed the stairs. He pushed the door open only to find Scott and Malia.

“I thought you said pack meeting, which you know, usually means you know, pack. All the pack. I see there is a lack of pack members right now.” Stiles voices.

“Yeah, Liam is not going to make it, Kira is coming, Derek is with Lydia. Most likely on their way here.” Scott replies and within 2 minutes the door opens again and Kira enters the room greeting them. She is about to close the door as Derek and Lydia appear on the other side. 

“I couldn’t follow the scent because it was too faint. It kind of smelled like… not there in a way. Like a bird, when you can smell it when it flies above your head but not really.” Derek says in lieu of a greeting. 

“Maybe the killer has wings” Stiles jokes.

“Yeah, right!” Scott snorts rolling his eyes, but stops when he sees Derek’s face. “Oh my god, is there anything with wings?” he asks fearfully just as Stiles mutters ‘Jesus’ and rubs his head.

“Not that I know of. It did smell like it did, but I haven’t met or heard of any creatures with wings.” Derek maintained.

“I’m sensing a ‘but’ there…” Stiles inputs.

“But, when Jackson was a kanima and we thought he was dying, Peter and I researched what he could evolve in and his final transformation did have wings” Derek started again.

“I thought the kanima didn’t even have a scent!” Stiles interrupted.

“It doesn’t that’s the point, you can’t exactly smell something that isn’t there!” Derek supplies looking annoyed.

“Should I translate the Argent’s bestiary again?” Lydia sighs.

“Yeah, that would be good. You can pair up with Stiles and do the research.” Scott agrees. “We can go and check if we can get a whiff again or something” he adds looking at Derek and Malia.

“Oh, great, you have all the fun while we stay and do all the homework. Awesome.” Stiles complained, but everyone knew it wasn’t much of a protest. 

So that’s what they do. They go back to Stile’s house and get the research going. After 3 hours of countless different suggestions and unnecessary translations, both Stiles and Lydia are so tired that their eyes start closing and they almost fall asleep on the spot, but otherwise do nothing about it.

 

And that’s why Stiles wakes up in the morning with his arm tucked under Lydia’s body, her face on his chest and her arm curled around his torso. Stiles knows, he should be ecstatic that he has a hot girl curl around him, and 16-year-old Stiles would be dancing on spot, but as a matter of fact, he feels… content, sated. Calm and kind of satisfied.

He shoves his nose in her hair inhaling her scent (yeah he knows that’s too wolf-like of him but who cares?), the almost too fresh to be the normal scent of fruits, a scent that reminds him of summers at the beach. Happy moments back when his mum was still alive. He remembers sitting on the sand, making a sandcastle while his mum was feeding him bites of watermelon and other summer fruits. Memories nostalgic but yet calm and soothing. He sighs and then rests his head back on the pillow.

It is clear now, the fact that she isn’t his crush anymore. He loves her, he really does, and he appreciates her beauty, her nice body, but he doesn’t want her like he did a year ago, which is very weird for a teenage boy at his age.

He is drifting off again and just then Lydia’s phone goes off and he flinches. Lydia begins to stir on his chest and then makes an annoyed sound. She lifts her head looking around blinking the sleep off her eyes and then reaches for her mobile. It’s kind of adorable and Stiles may or may not be smiling fondly.

“Hello?” she asks sleepily rubbing her eyes. “You! Uh! What time is it?” she shots up so fast Stiles is almost knocked over and a small smile appears on her face. Stiles knows that look. “Yeah, sorry I’m at Stiles’.” ‘Jackson’ she mouths happily at Stiles. “Yeah, yeah, just give me some minutes to get dressed and I’m coming.” She then said a quick bye and abandoned the bed in order to run up and down Stile’s room to collect her things.

“He is at the airport, do you want to come with me?” she asks while applying her lipstick.

“Uhmm… I think I will pass…” he replies and while he doesn’t hate the douche called Jackson anymore, he’d rather meet him at school thank you very much. He doesn’t need to see his sappy moments with Lydia. Because even thought they broke up and Lydia was angry at him for leaving, they still liked each other and they agreed to disagree and now they are ‘friends’.  _Ha, as if_. Stiles thinks.

“Fine,” she says and hums as she snaps shut the whatever-it-is-called she used to colour her eyes. Eye-shadow? Stiles isn’t sure but thinks that’s probably it. She steps into her high heels while shoving a mint gum in her mouth.

“Gotta go, see you at school!” she said smacking a kiss on his cheek and leaving the room. Stiles stays there for a few minutes looking at the doorway where she was standing before he plopped back on his bed, turning to sleep, savouring the –he checks his phone- last 35 minutes before his alarm goes off.

He drifts off thinking about what Google suggested last night. One of them was a unicorn. A unicorn! Okay, it was actually a Pegasus, but it’s more or less the same thing anyway. The troubling thing was… he didn’t know what to do with creatures from ancient religions. Like… does he even consider them as options? Are they just myths?

Well, he did think werewolves were just myths… and kitsunes. But then again, this kind of creatures ‘common’ in a way, popular. But the oni were dark Asian demons for god's shake...

And that’s what his thought’s consists of while going through his daily routine and to school. His thoughts stop abruptly when Jackson’s bitch face comes into his sight, which actually was extremely close to his face. It is not surprising that Stiles yelped and flailed almost falling down.

“Smooth Stilinski. You didn’t change at all.” Jackson commented.

“If you didn’t notice, you were the one sneaking up on me, I was minding my own business. It’s only to be expected for me to be surprised. Besides, I did change. There is more of my hair now.” Stiles defended himself glaring.

Jackson hummed. “McCall was looking for you. He actually is waiting for us right now” he added.

“Aww, you actually came looking for me, I’m flattered. Oh, you missed me!” Stiles mocked grinning.

“Shut up and follow me.” Jackson said and turned around, without denying it.

“You have been busy. I know you kept me updated but coming back to this hell hole…” he snorted “I was on the phone with Lydia just last week. How come something came up in less than 5 days? It’s like you attract trouble” Jackson said conversationally.

“In fact, the nemeton does attract the supernatural, Deaton said so. And hey! No one has died the last 3 months!” Stiles exclaimed.

“Yeah, what a record! 3 months. Wow. Keep it up” Jackson said sarcastically.

Stiles stopped walking and turned to look at Jackson suddenly angry. “Well, if you think you could have done better, then why weren’t you here?” he asked bitterly glaring daggers. “You just ran away from trouble Jackson because you are afraid and a coward. Where were you when the alpha pack attacked? Where were you when I was possessed? Where were you when-“ he paused and took a deep breath “when people died?” he asked with a sour look on his face. And yeah, he knew that was a low blow, because Jackson actually tried to help out at some point and they were supposed to be passed that.

Stiles felt guilty but he couldn’t take the bitter words back. He wasn't sure if he wanted to take what he said back, but he was still unnecessarily rude. He signed tiredly, mumbled a "sorry" and walked past Jackson who had stopped and openly looking at him with an expression that Stiles identified as hurt.

Stiles rushed to where he thought Scott would be, ignoring all the students in his path and avoiding Jackson who was trailing behind him like a lost (and hurt) puppy. A puppy full of glares and sass, but still a puppy.

When Scott saw them approaching, he smiled, but then frowned obviously picking up the tension between them. He very wisely didn’t ask anything, though. “Hey. So, did you have any luck? I talked with Lydia, she said you didn’t, but maybe you can suggest anything?” he urged.

“Nah, not really, there are like, thousands Wikipedia results, which means, over million Google results. I guess, I need to research further to be able to claim I have anything close to what we want…” Stiles replied shrugging.

“Okay,” Scott said. “Just, don’t worry too much and don’t overwork yourself, okay?” he added lower, looking worried and understanding the same time.

“Yeah… yeah, don’t worry about me, I won’t” Stiles answered but he himself didn’t know if that was a lie or not. Scott nodded and they both turned to head to class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Terribly sorry, if I made any ridiculous mistakes, my head hurts a bit and it's too late to actually pay attention, I just pasted whatever I wrote on word a week ago.
> 
> Song lyrics used: "Let it go" by The Neighbourhood.
> 
> [Tumblr](http://lizapatritsia.tumblr.com/)?


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if I made any grammatical (or not) mistakes, I re-read it in order to correct anything but I might have missed something.

_And with the black banners raised,_

_As the crooked smile fades._

_Former heroes who quit too late,_

_Who just wanna fill up the trophy case again._

_And in the end,_

_I’ll do it all again,_

_I think you’re my best friend,_

_Don’t you know that the kids aren’t alright?_

_\--------_

 

_ _

 

 

First period, Stiles had geometry a.k.a. the most boring class of all the boring classes. It wasn’t that Mr. Koutson was a bad teacher, he was just terribly boring. Stiles thought he treated them like they were retarded. He kept asking them if they understood what he said again and again and again, in a way that reminded Stiles back in kindergarten where the teachers would repeat themselves to make things more understandable and clear for his slower classmates. So, geometry it was, or better pretending-to-pay-attention-to-class-while-thinking-about-supernatural for Stiles.

That day, though, Stiles was too distracted, too unfocused and his mind was wondering all around uselessly. He didn’t even notice the teacher approaching his desk till he was towering over him looking at him questionably. It was more of a subconscious act that he was doodling all over his textbook, so when the teacher raised an eyebrow he was confused. His doodles of figures with wings, human faces or not, human bodies or not. Mr. Koutson frowned and took his textbook and placed it on his desk wordlessly.

Not that it did anything to Stiles, as he simply opened his geometry book and continued improving his doodling skills between paragraphs with human-like winged creatures, completely ignoring the disapproving look the teacher was giving him. When the bell rang, he shot up from his seat and basically ran to the next classroom just to get rid of all the extra, nervous energy he had.

 

It was no surprise that he did not just run into Danny but he totally crashed  into him causing both to lose their balance, fall on the floor and spill their things all around them. “Oh, Danny, sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry, I’m sorry.” Stiles rapped.

“It’s okay. Man, are you okay?” Danny asked picking up his stuff and looking at Stiles knowingly doing  _the thing_  again. The thing, being what Stiles called all the times Danny looked cryptic, but friendly and kind but also like he knows what everyone did in the dark. 

“Yeah, I’m okay, sorry, I’m just restless…” Stiles muttered avoiding Danny’s worried gaze. Danny regarded him for several seconds before getting on his feet and walking away.

“Did you just throw my best friend on the floor?” Jackson questioned approaching Stiles.

“Yeah, I totally did it on purpose!” Stiles exclaimed rolling his eyes. “And Jackson… you know, sorry about before” he added looking shyly downward.

Jackson rolled his eyes but didn’t reassure him, not that Stiles expected him to. “Come on, stop flailing and let’s go to class.” was all he said.

“Yeah…” Stiles said. Then frowned “How are you even allowed in? You are not even going to this school anymore!” he wondered while they headed to Finstock’s class.

“I’m Jackson” Jackson replied like it explained everything. “I can go everywhere I want, especially Finstock’s class. Where he practically begged me to go when he first saw me. I’m still his favourite.” He paused. “And I’m coming at lacrosse practice.” He added smoothly, while Stiles groaned at the thought of practice after school. Especially when a bloody murderer is running free in his town. Not to mention a murderer with wings. Wings! Basically, these were his thoughts until he actually had to go to lacrosse practice. 

Which… okay, he was _supposed_ to be good. He is actually have been in the game for over a year or so, hell he even scored at games, but he feels –and probably seems- completely useless. Logically, it seems impossible, but practically? Stiles sucked. He had full proof of the large bruise forming on his chest from running against another team player on his way to the goal. Furthermore, like that wasn’t enough, Jackson has been a complete asshole, pointedly making Stiles his aim just to spite him. A fact that drives Stiles crazy to the point where he wants to slap Jackson in the face so hard he leaves an imprint of his fingers on his cheek and not even be sorry about it.

 _Two more minutes, I can definitely handle two more minutes of his douchnessery. Wait, that isn’t even a word_ … Stiles battled with himself glancing at coach’s watch, who had moved closer to yell at his face.

 

When practice was over – _finally_ \- Stiles didn’t even bother to change or even take a shower, even though he knew he reeked of sweat in the worst way possible. He hurried to his jeep instead after dashingly packing his stuff, order to get to his house sooner.

When he arrived home he climbed the stairs  with almost too much force that had him stumbling and his head missing the edge of the coffee table by just a couple of inches. He threw his stuff on his bed, turned on his laptop and then moved to the bathroom where he got undressed of the sticky dirty clothes and got in the bath to take a much-deserved shower.

So, they have harpies, angles, bird-like creatures, kanima,  _well not kanima, kanimas don’t have a scent!_  Stiles reminded himself. Sphinx, manticore, drakaina, peryton... even fairies belong tho that list for the love of God. He sighed and rested his head on the cold tiles on the wall while the hot water run down his body slowly releasing the tension which was settled on his shoulders. It was too much, though. The tension in his body. He really tried not to think about masturbating – well that’s definitely a lie, he openly thought about masturbating in the shower, and that’s what he did. He slowly let his hands travel down to his body, lower and lower till he reached his navel. He then grabbed the base of his dick which was giving excited, interested twitches at the thought of jerking off. His hand was moving rhythmically up and down his length as small moans escaped his lips. He gave a few more tugs, before he got worked up and found himself a fantasy to think about, until he didn't even remember he was in the shower. It didn’t take long after that, and he found himself coming all over his hand and the tiles on the wall.

 _Goal achieved_ he thought feeling relaxed and sleepy as ever.  _Mmmm sleep._  He thought and that was enough motivation to have him quickly cleaning himself off and completely ignoring his plans of researching, he slammed face-on his bed.

 

Sleep was inevitable and it was not a surprise that he woke up hours later from a loud noise and cursing because his dad may or may not broke something. He felt disoriented and he had to blink a few times and physically shake his head and rub his eyes to shake the sleep off. He then sighed and sat up looking for his sleepers before heading downstairs. 

“Dad?” he asked as he kept rubbing his left eye, because everyone knows that if you rub your eye once, you can’t ever stop.

“Ah! Stiles. I thought you were asleep. Sorry if I woke you, I really tried to be stealthy." Stiles remained silent, which was no shock as Stiles didn’t talk much after just been awoken. He did stare at his dad expectably and his dad understood his unsaid question and starting going on about what they gathered up at the station and stuff about the victim’s medical history.

“What about… Adam was it? What about Adam’s life? Like personal stuff, his friends, enemies, family, something…” Stiles asked eventually. 

“We went to his house  _and_  questioned his closest friends and co-workers. Seemed like a family guy really, he didn’t have any kids, but his wife said they had a very nice relationship. She said, she couldn’t imagine anyone wanting her husband dead and his friends later seemed to agree. Something is off, though. His life looks almost too good. I hope I’m wrong, but that’s how it is.” His dad analyzed. 

“Maybe next time you should get a human lie detector, well oh! A werewolf, that’s what you need!” Stiles muttered sarcastically. His dad ignored that comment but looked at him suspiciously. 

“Are you okay? You look too tired for someone who just woke up.” he asked full of concern.

“I’m fine dad, I slept late last night and I guess practice is enough to make me look like a zombie. Don’t worry.” Stiles waved him off before exiting the room heading upstairs after adding “Going to study!”

Which  _lie._  As if he was going to study. He sat on his bed, relaxing his back on the wall behind him and pulled his laptop on his lap. He considered wasting some time online, he even tried to do so, but he ended up researching again. After a while his eyes became half-lidded and he was slowly relaxing further on his bed, until he couldn’t stay awake anymore, so he snapped his laptop shut and crawled under his comforter.

 

It felt like minutes later when his phone began ringing, startling his sleeping form. “Hello,” he mumbled looking at his watch only to find that it was well after midnight. 

“Hey, Stiles” Scott voiced on an alarming note. 

“What is it.” he asks only half a question letting his eyelids close shut for a moment. 

“There has been another body, just like the first one. You- you don’t need to come, there is not much to see anyway and since your research isn’t getting anywhere yet… we’ll just call the police now. I uh- Just wanted to let you know.” Scott said a bit hesitantly. 

“Yeah… fine. Thanks. I guess…” Stiles responded sleepily, his eyes still shut, not quite processing what Scott told him.

“Okay, I’m going to hang up now… see you later, bro” Scott said while Stiles was uttering “Yeah, okay” several times without even realising. He slept instantly on the spot when Scott hang up with his mobile still in his hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOOK! I EVEN DRAW SOMETHING!
> 
>  
> 
> Feedback is always appreciated. :)  
> Song lyrics used: "The Kids Aren't Alright" by Fall Out Boy.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello,  
> If everything go according to plan, I will update every Wednesday and Saturday.  
> Twice a week.  
> Because I'm that excited.  
> Yay.

_I’m supposed to be the one who bring us all together,_

_Weak or strong, not just a song_

_We sing along when things go wrong,_

_You will need me when you fall,_

_And I will need you when I’m wrong,_

_Tears lead me on,_

_They let me lead you so far,_

_Weak or strong, I’ll hold your arm._

_\---------_

 

 

 

It was when he woke up again that he realised what Scott told him which caused him to groan and push the comforter over his head to block the light (or life, whichever at this point). He knew it was inevitable, though, so despite his basic weak human instincts, he went to school and looked for his best friend.

“What now?” he asks when he found Scott at his locker.

“Just like the first one, broken bones, almost minimal struggle, the same airy scent… This time though it was a college student. Derek said your dad told him that the two victims had nothing in common, no connections, not similar in any ways.” Scott announced while they were heading to class. Stiles opened his mouth but before he could get anything out, Scott beat him to it. “Don’t even start doubting anything. We got it covered and the police are doing proper research. Besides, if it wasn’t for that scent, I wouldn’t even consider this as a supernatural death.”

“Fine.” Stiles said grumpily and took  his usual seat just as the teacher tried to silent them.

 

He loses interest quickly in the lesson, so he starts doodling until the notices the worried glances a girl on his right is giving around the class. It’s so Lydia-like when she was still figuring her banshee powers that she instantly got his attention. Her name was Maggie, Stiles remembered her, they used to be friends before kindergarten. She has long dark brown hair that he used to mistake as black and hazel eyes. She usually wears skinny jeans or high-waist skirts that made her body look beautiful as she had a thin waist but otherwise a very curvy body. Stiles thinks she is beautiful and that it’s a shame that no-one ever really notices her. She kind of reminds him of Erica, before she got turned, but was more confident, as she always calls bullshit on people and no one ever dares to annoy her. She seems content though to have few but good friends. She doesn’t care that Lydia is the queen of the school, she doesn’t care that she doesn’t have a hot boyfriend like other girls. She most of the time, generally doesn’t care. And that’s why Stiles is worried. Because she is never that open and fearful like she is now.

Her brilliant eyes are roaming all around the class like she is searching for something for a few seconds, before she is closing her eyes tight. She then brings her hand over her ears and mouths a weak no. For a second Stiles thinks he has a déjà vu but in fact, he realises that this reminds him of himself back when the nogitsune was still in town. And Stiles feels for her. He can relate. God knows what she is hearing now…

A tear runs down her face that has her burry her face in her arms and let a small whimper. He wanted to reach out to her. He wanted to offer her what he had when he was in that state; support. But he isn’t sure. He isn’t sure what to do and how to do it. Maybe it’s not like his case, maybe it’s not even supernatural, maybe she just has a mental illness, or health problem. Okay, that actually makes it worse. He thinks about it. She whimpers again. The bell rings.  _Fuck it._

 

He gets up and approaches her. “Hey… Maggie? Are you okay?” he asks and winces at how awkward he sounds. He proceeds to place his hand on her shoulder.

She flinches and almost falls down. “What-uh,” she says frantically, taking in the almost empty classroom and Stiles who is hovering over her. She gapes at him for several seconds before deciding on “I’m fine, I-I-“ she tears up as he squeezes her shoulder encouragingly. She considers her answer but then tears are flowing down her cheeks freely and she chokes on a sob.

Stiles has two theories about her sudden openness.1) She really needs someone’s –anyone’s- support. 2) He has the reputation of panic attacks, freak outs, and other panic related reactions, that she feels comfortable enough to cry on him. Stiles hopes that it’s the first one for the sake of his dignity.

She reaches out and grabs his torso, pulling him closer and staying there curled around him crying and sobbing for a little bit. Stiles has to admit he let a not so manly surprised squeak when she tugged him close, because, of course, he does. He lets her, though, he has a free period anyway.

He awkwardly wraps his arms around her shaky form. When her sobs low down he can hear her whimpering over and over “She won’t let me, she won’t let me, she won’t”. He doesn’t comment or push it. He gently pats her back and leaves her shake in his arms. After a while, she pulled back. She whipped her eyes with the back of her hand, while looking embarrassed from her outburst.

“Ooookay,” he said lowering down on his knees to be at her eye level. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, not really, no I don’t.” she said lowering her eyes embarrassed.

“You know, if you don’t want to talk to me, it’s fine, but trust me when I say that you have to tell someone. I know, I have been there.” he opined calmly.

She looked up at him eyes wide mouth agape. “You have seen her?” she whispers like she doesn’t want anyone else to hear her. Stiles threw her a confused look and she added: “The lady, the grey lady with the wings, she is always in my head, I- I- I can’t.” And that got Stiles’ attention.

“What- what lady? What does she say? What does she look like?” he asked but Maggie looked uncomfortable.

“I- I have to go…” she muttered, gathering her stuff quickly and she left the classroom.

“Wait. Maggie!” he shouted while grabbing his stuff and running out of the classroom only to find an empty hallway. “…okay that was fast… and creepy” he muttered.  _Where did she even go?_  He added in his mind.

He sighed defeated and walked into the library where he knew Lydia was.

 

“You are late.” She posted when she saw him. Then she really looked at him and frowned. “Okay, what happened? Spill.” She commanded.

“I was with Maggie… Maggie Kings. She was acting weird so I asked how she was.” He replied.

“Define weird,” Lydia asked but it wasn’t exactly a question, like a thing Derek used to do.

“Weird like… me when I was possessed. But it wasn’t just that, it was what she said. She talked of a grey lady with wings that wouldn’t let her go. She said she was in her head, but when I asked further, she hurried out of the classroom.” He said searching Lydia’s eyes. Her perfectly shaped eyebrows were frowned into consideration, as she was probably going through what she translated not so long ago.

“Interesting…” she voiced and before Stiles could do as much as blink, she shot up, gathered her stuff and then left the room.

“Hey! Lydia!” he yelled but she paid him no mind. “What is it today with girls leaving me like that?” he mumbled annoyed. But sat back down defeated and pulled out his book to study. If he ended up researching it was totally not his fault.

 

Later that hour his phone received a new message.

Lydia: Print for me the possible predators. You have 5 minutes.

Stiles: What? There are too many of them and I can’t do that in 5 minutes! Also, predators?! really?

Lydia: I have seen your bookmarks, you have a file called ‘most likely to be killed by’. Write down the names, I don’t care, just do it.

Stiles: -.-

He groaned at the request but did what she asked anyway. She turned out to be right about the time, though, because just the second he put down his pen and regarded his work with a proud smile, she sat next to him startling him. He yelled and almost fell on his ass, but she didn’t even bat an eyelash, as she was reading his list. He was about to protest but then she was speaking.

“Thank you, Stiles. You might want to get your stuff now, the bell rings in 30 seconds.” she said smiling at him sweetly. “Don’t be late for lunch, I think, I might have an idea.” She added as she took the list and stood up the same time the bell rang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this was short, sorry, I just didn't want to split it later during anyhting improtant in the following chapters.
> 
>  
> 
> Song lyrics used: "The One" by Deuce.


	6. Chapter 6

_If you knew, knew what the bluebirds sang at you,_

_You would never sing along,_

_Cast them out cause this is our culture_

_These new flocks are nothing but vultures_ _._

_\---------_

 

 

 

They were all settled down on their lunch table when Lydia smacked her track of food on the table just to get everyone’s attention, as if they weren’t waiting for her anyway.

“So, I narrowed down all the creatures that have all the potential to be the killer. Since Stiles told me about Maggie, things got… clearer.” she said and before anyone could question anything she raised her hand and glared around, daring anyone to speak up. “Maggie was acting weird and talking about a grey lady with wings. She told Stiles that she wouldn’t let her go. That was enough information to help me. I went through the bestiary and I have to say, the list is now much smaller.” she finished.

“How smaller?” Scott asked with what Stiles called ‘Concerned Alpha voice’. 

“Enough to be able to almost have it figured out, not enough to let you know yet. I think in a week I’ll have it ready.” she replied leaving no room for arguments even for their Alpha.

“What do you mean a week? What if someone dies before that?” Stiles questioned. Lydia glared but didn’t answer. Stiles knew he couldn’t match Lydia’s glares so he gave up with an annoyed breath, shrinking back into his seat.

He let his eyes search around the cafeteria for anything interesting since apparently, no one cares to answer his questions. Nothing really held his attention till his eyes shifted to the spot where Maggie was. She was sitting at a table, alone, which was weird for her, but so Boyd-like, before he accepted the bite. Her eyes were teary and the looks she cast around the room frantic and worried. This time she definitely looked like a mix of himself when he was possessed and Lydia when she was haunted by Peter. She let a, muffled by her sleeve, cry and shot up causing her chair to fall down. No one really paid her any attention while she abandoned the room quickly. His eyes hovered over the spot she was sitting no more than just some seconds ago, until Scott’s voice got his attention.

“Dude, are you even listening?”

“What? Sorry, I got distracted, what did you say?” Stiles responded shaking his head.

“I said, that your dad said, that Adam’s wife noticed unsettled behaviour, she said she wasn’t sure why.” Scott repeated.

“He didn’t tell her anything? They were supposed to be happily married!” Stiles exclaimed. 

“Married yes, happily not so much. The last 2 months before his death were tense. They had a handful of fall outs then” Scott shrugged while Stiles hummed sceptically.

 

The bell rang then cutting their conversation. Soon enough school ended and Stiles found himself on his bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking. The whole progress of things is too slow for his liking. Too agonising. So, it seems that someone killed people bloody and brutally, for no apparent reason? Why? Also; wings. Really now? Wings?

 

He sighed just as he heard the front door slamming shut. “Stiles, I’m home” his dad declared.

Stiles went down the stairs and entered the kitchen looking for his dad. “How was work?” he asked.

“Fine.” He replied turning to look at Stiles. He scanned him like he did when Stiles was a kid and had done something wrong. “How was school?” he asked and damn, his dad sure knows when something is bothering him.

“Fine. Boring. The usual.” He answered shrugging. His dad eyed him slowly, obviously not believing him, but he let it go. “Did you find anything about the case?” Stiles asked leaning on the wall.

The sheriff narrowed his eyes at his son and seemed to consider even answering. “Nothing much really. Just some assumptions. You see, Adam Lewis, had the perfect life, no enemies, his wife claimed that they were happily married, but then there is a hole in her story. After letting some things slip, she admitted that they had some fall outs about everyday stuff. But how small an argument can be if she slept at her mother’s for over two weeks?” he said, in the end, looking at Stiles expectantly.

“So, what, you think she killed her husband?” Stiles asked even if he knew the answer.

“I don’t, but you knew that.” He smirked. “We think he possibly had an affair with his assistant. That is, because of the way she answered our questions and how she walked into the cemetery. We also think Mrs. Lewis knew about it.” He finished. 

“Affair, huh… How does this help, though? His wife didn’t kill him, his girlfriend sure didn’t either and he had no enemies…” Stiles trailed off.

“If we knew that, we would have found the killer already.” his dad sassed.

“What about the other? The college student.” Stiles asked after a pause.

“Colin. Colin Thomlinson. No enemies really, he was pretty much of a jock. Very popular. His friends called him ‘sneaky and mischievous’ I quote.” 

“Maybe he cheated on his girlfriend, maybe the killer goes after cheaters!” Stiles guessed.

“I highly doubt it. We checked his relationship status. He adored his girlfriend. If anything, she would be the one cheating. They were at a Scott-Allison level.” His dad informed him carelessly.

Stiles suddenly felt a spark of guilt flowing from his heart to his whole body and he tried to ignore it. Ignore all thoughts about Allison. He had to focus on the case anyway. “Huh, he sounds happy.” He said weakly and internally winced at how small he sounded.

His dad seemingly didn’t notice and kept talking. “Not really. A week before his death his closest friends saw him being ‘weird and overemotional’. They said he was closing in on himself and meeting with no one really.”

Stiles hummed in acknowledgement.  _Isolation, extraordinary behaviour_ … “Did anyone see Adam a week before he died?” he asked.

His dad frowned. “No, he claimed to be sick and got the whole week off work. Didn’t talk to any of his friends either…” the sheriff said sceptically, probably understanding what Stiles meant. “I’m going to talk to his neighbour again” he declared and shot up ready to leave the kitchen.

“Hey, dad, wait! It’s late and you just got home. Tomorrow you have an early shift, why don’t you rest now and deal with it tomorrow? Please dad” Stiles pleaded worriedly. He knew his dad good enough to know that he’d probably exhaust himself all night and most definitely crash on the couch of his office in order to be able to stay awake for his actual shift.

The sheriff looked torn between duty and his son’s pleas. In the end, he sighed annoyed and groaned, which was very teenager-like, if you ask Stiles, while the conversation looked more like Stiles was the parent. “Fine” he mumbled and sat back down on his chair.

Stiles exhaled relieved and slowly got up to heat up dinner. They ended up eating like actual normal human beings, totally talking about school and college and plans for the future and not about any bloody murders. The night was relaxing and quiet. Stiles thought that this blissful silence was, in fact, _blissful_ , and he may or may not wished it would last forever.

 

Monday morning Stiles was practically sleeping in class feeling so-so tired. He slept early the previous day, this was not acceptable. He remembers being 13 and reading online a post that said ‘the more I sleep, the more tired I am and the more I stay awake the more awake I feel’. Back then, he didn’t fully understand but now? Now he related. Too much. Waaay too much for him to be comfortable.

It was only after he accidently threw his pen off his desk that he noticed that Maggie wasn’t in class. He frowned and tried to confirm that they actually did have biology together. Yeah, they did, he remembers the project she was assigned to do a month ago. Maybe she just overslept. People do that often. Nothing to worry about, she just missed the first period.

 _Isolation…_  his mind whispered. It made sense, now that he thought about it. She was probably not coming back to school for the rest of the week.  _Or ever…_  his mind supplied again, which,  _what the hell brain?_  Stiles thought.  _So not helping!_

 

So, when the bell rang, he searched for Lydia. “Do you think she is going to die?” he asked without a greeting. 

“Hello to you too.” She sassed turning to look at him. “Who is ‘she’?” she asked casually. 

“Maggie. Do you think she is going to die? You know, with your super banshee powers! Do you have any death signals pointing to her direction?” he asked. 

Lydia glared at him. “ No, I don’t. You know how this works! And I don’t really know her anyway, she must be near and way close to death for me to sense it.” She said irritated. 

Stiles pressed his lips tight till they were nothing but a thin line. Maybe he was too stressed about that. He totally was. They probably had a week, right? Maggie wasn’t going to die. They wouldn’t let that happen. He worried too much when there was nothing to worry about. He is being paranoid again, that’s all. Yeah, that’s probably it.

With that thought, he found Scott and told him about what he discussed with his dad, but they still didn’t know what to do. Stiles felt a little guilty throughout the day but chose not to acknowledge it. He already had enough guilt in his system to be able to make a ‘Guilt’ club where people could all come together and talk about their experiences. Maybe, in the end, there would be a contest or something in which people would contest who feels more guilty about anything and win an award. A medal. Any kind of prize. So no. He didn’t need to acknowledge any emotions. He ignored them all.

But his traitor mind was always turning back to Maggie. He thought about visiting her at her house, to see if she is alright, but then vetoed that. Maybe she is just sick. Maybe she will be back tomorrow, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics used: "Novocaine" by Fall Out Boy


	7. Chapter 7

_I lie awake and face these shadows in the night  
I see the truth through crimson eyes_

_Take me home where the restless go_  
_Reckless to the day I rest my bones_  
_There's no use trying to save my soul_  
_There's no use trying to save my soul_

 _Got my cards lined up in a row_  
Up in flames and away we go  
Lost my name but it's etched in stone  
Take me home when the cold wind blows  
  
No one sings, no escaping now

 _\----------_  

 

Not right. So not right. It’s been three days -three whole days- and she has yet to come to school, and Lydia has been off and Stiles just spotted Scott and he really needed his best friend right then, because he really needed some cheering up so desperately and who can do it better than his best friend?

Stiles honestly had never been happier to hear about Scott’s relationship status, as he babbled about how Kira is apparently amazing at anything really, and then how Liam is getting better and better at controlling his shift, and how he thinks Kira would like a date at the local amusement park. Then he paused and put on a dreamy smile, probably thinking about how Kira’s eyes shine under the sun, or something equally  _‘romantic’_ , before coming back at himself and continued rambling about how Isaac would be visiting Beacon Hills again soon, and how he was disappointed that his visit would be probably just after Jackson leaves again and how it would be good for the pack to be together for once. Then he started talking about Kira again.

It was so Scott-like that Stiles let himself enjoy that part of their friendship and relaxed his back on his couch lazily looking at Scott and often humming, nodding, or indicating, however, he could that he was paying attention in Scott’s words.

 

Of course, not even 5 minutes later, Scott’s mobile started ringing. It wasn’t a casual call from Kira, Stiles knew. Judging from Scott’s tense body that is. Scott listened carefully to the person at the other line -who Stiles guessed was Derek, if the gruff voice was anything to go by- nodded once or twice, like Derek could see him and then said “Got it” and hung up.

Stiles sighed. “What’s going on?” he asked trying, but failing, to not sound worried.

“It was Derek. He said that Lydia was acting all kinds of strange and met him when he was out on a run in the woods. She was muttering about feeling something and then he smelt it. There has been another body.” Scott stopped looking hesitant.

“There is more, isn’t there?” Stiles encouraged. 

“Lydia recognized the body. She said it was someone from school.” Scott said looking uncomfortable.

And Stiles just knew. Maggie. Oh no. “Fuck.” he said and shot up to get out of the house.

“Hey Stiles, wait!” Scott said as he stood up as well and grabbed his forearm. “Why do you have to come anyway?” And that was enough to infuriate Stiles. Not only did he know this was going to happen a week prior and did nothing about it, but also, his best friend, -besides heavily implying that he is pretty much useless, so why bother anyway?- doesn’t understand Stiles. 

Stiles gritted his teeth and looked at the young Alpha with determination. “I’m going.” He posted and then proceeded into getting in his car and looking at Scott expectantly. Scott, who was frozen at his spot, got the message soon enough and hopped on the passenger seat. The ride was silent but tense. Neither was talking and Stiles wasn’t sure what kind of emotions he was emitting. It was nothing compared to the crime scene, though.

 

The crime scene was… somehow even more brutal than Adam’s. The clearing was next to a small cliff and blood was splashed everywhere. Literally.  _Everywhere._  It looked pretty much like there had been a fight on the air, somehow.

Blood high up on the trees but also down to their roots. In the middle was a female body. Her clothes were mostly torn in places, and her skin was full of scratches. He slowly approached her only to have his assumptions verified. This was definitely Maggie. Her face was bloody and she had a few purple bruises here and there. Her eyes were shut tight and she somehow looked peaceful and angry the same time. Her strong jaw was clenched tight making her sharp cheek bones stand out in a way that made her look fierce and powerful. Her one leg was twisted in a stomach rolling position, her previously sharp well-made nails were broken coated in blood and if you looked closer, there was something that looked like skin and flesh under them, something that was both to admire –because that means she was fighting till the very end- and something to throw up to. Last but not least there was the same long cut across her chest like the other two victims. If Stiles was honest he would say that it didn’t look as awful as Adam’s, but the rest of her? That was way worse.

Maggie was dead. Brutally murdered. Probably died in so much pain. And if Stiles wasn’t so numb by the scene before him, he would probably throw up and then cry in the corner, or better in his bath in fetus position, because he knew, he knew she was going to die and he know it was a matter of days before it happened, and he did nothing. Sure, he thought about visiting her but  _fuck that!_ , that was what it was,  _a thought_. A thought he voted against a second later.

So, if he wasn’t so numb he would be drowning in guilt. He knew that for a fact. But his mind simply decided to go blank for now and there was nothing to do about it. With all too calm movements he turned his back on the dead body. He vaguely heard Derek, Lydia and Scott talking somewhere around him, but the words didn’t register. He distantly saw that somewhere between his thoughts Kira, Malia and Liam had arrived just a minute before Jackson showed up. He didn’t have time for this, though. He wanted to go home. People continued talking around him but he paid them no mind and walked toward his Jeep. He simply got in then and turned the engine on.

Distantly he was sure his name was called once or twice, maybe more? But he didn’t do anything about it. He simply left the woods and drove back to his house. To the safety of his warm home.

 

Once he got there, he didn’t bother checking if his father was there, he knew he already had a shift and now with the murder, he wouldn't get home anytime soon. He also knew that he should eat something. He was hungry before they left, right? But just the thought of food rolled his stomach. 

He took his shoes off and neatly placed them next to the door. With slow calm moves, he got upstairs and sat on his bed. He looked at the desk in front of him for several seconds before easing his back on the bed.

He stayed there for a short while. Looking for nothing, in particular, feeling pretty much nothing, just a dull shadow of what his emotions should be. His phone vibrated but he didn’t move. Then it did again. And again. And once more. So he reached into his pocket and got it out, to find 4 messaged from Scott. 

Scott: Are you okay?

Scott: Dude.

Scott: We are going to Kira’s. Wanna come?

Scott: …. Call me if you need me. 

Stiles didn’t feel like calling him, or talking for the matter, so he didn’t. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him. Well, that’s a lie. Sleep didn’t take him. He did doze off, though. His thoughts were blurry and hazy even to him and later he didn’t even remember what he was thinking about. If he was even thinking about anything that is. Well, he must have been thinking of something, his brain was too active to be in peace, even when it was actually blank.

 

It felt like hours before he heard the small noise. He slowly opened his eyes, only to find Derek on his desk chair. He was startled and he yelled as his heart started racing. “How did you get in here?” he asked. This whole Derek-in-my-room-like-he-owns-the-place was too last year. Was it last year? Did he even do that last year? Yep, his mind was still in a haze. 

Derek shrugged but said nothing. Stiles stared at him for a bit before sighing and letting his eyes close again. 

“Stiles.” Derek said getting his attention again. Stiles sat upright on his bed and slowly rubbed his eyes while mumbling a soft “yes?”.

Derek studied him for a while. Something passed his eyes and his expression changed a little but Stiles’ mind was too unfocused to register what it was. “Are you alright?” he asked in the end but Stiles was too out of it to manage anything more than a slow nod. Derek sighed and patiently tried again. “Stiles?” Silence. “Stiles, talk to me.” Still no answer. Derek approached him slowly like he was afraid of Stiles’ reaction. He placed a hand on his shoulder in a reassuring gesture. Stiles raised his head and locked his eyes to Derek’s. He tried his best to focus there but his vision was sort of blurry. Derek’s bright, calm eyes were looking at him so intensely that Stiles’ could almost say that they were piercing through his skin going straight for his soul. That was enough apparently. Stiles cracked.

“She is dead.” He muttered keeping eye contact. He felt the bile in his throat rise and before he knew it tears were running down his face. “I knew she was going to die, I knew, I knew, I had it figured out. I did nothing, I knew and I did nothing. It’s like the nogitsune all over again. ‘S like I killed her” He babbled between snorts and sobs, his voice cracking from word to word, and let his eyes fall to where he was scratching his arm for no apparent reason.

“No, Stiles.” Derek forced Stiles to look at him again. “You didn’t kill her, it’s not your fault. You have nothing to be guilty about and it’s nothing like the nogitsune.” He said and tugged Stiles a little bit closer.

“I could have at least check up on her, you know, I know where she lives. Or used to live. My- my mum used to take me there because Maggie’s mother had a garden and mum used to buy vegetables from her. Before Scott, I- we- we were good friends. We kind of lost contact a while ago, but… but still… it’s... I- I let her…” he chocked on a sob before he could finish his thoughts.

Derek remained silent beside him and simply pulled Stiles so close that he ended up hugging him. He rubbed a hand on Stiles’ shoulder and he whispered soothing words in his ear.

After what felt like hours, but it was probably less, Stiles had no more tears to shed, he pulled away, whipping his eyes with the back of his hand. A frown formed on his face when he saw the mess he created on Derek’s shirt. “Sorry about that...” he mumbled and then he waved a hand around indicating his outburst and the mess of Derek’s shirt. 

Before Derek could reply, Stiles got up and went through the shirt in his wardrobe with a determined look on his face, like he knew exactly what he was looking for, which he did actually. “Here, wear this.” He said and handed Derek a grey Henley. 

Derek took the shirt in his hands and frowned at the sight of it. Stiles guessed it was because even though it smelled like Stilinski deodorant, it was his actually his. “You actually never came for it, and to be honest I forgot about it too.”   

“It was the one I was wearing back when Peter was the Alpha, right? When you had… Danny? When you had Danny over.” Derek said with his eyebrows frowned in what Stiles guessed was consideration or confusion. 

“Yeah, it was…” Stiles said with a small smile over the fond memory. 

The smile froze on his face though as Derek abruptly rose and with one smooth motion he took his shirt off. Stiles tried not to feel scrawny and self-conscious about his body in front of Derek’s muscled torso that looked like something ancient Greeks would sculpt on marble to impersonate a Greek god. Derek neatly folded his dirty shirt and put it nicely down on Stiles’ bed. As his movements flexed his multiple muscles, the triskelion tattoo on his back never looked so prominent and Stiles was so not checking it out. 

Then with another smooth move he put on the clean shirt Stiles gave him only minutes prior, while the stretch of his arms toned the V of his hips and his abs, which was so not just a 6-pack, it was like an 8-pack or something… no scratch that, it was all muscles. 

Stiles stood there for a little more than it was acceptable and Derek sat back on his bed. Stiles cleared his throat before he said with a slight blush “Anyway. You didn’t say, why are you here? You know, why you came before I cried all over you…”

“I was with your dad. Scott told be about the meeting and about you not answering your phone.” He answered, and then sighed. “You shouldn’t ignore Scott’s calls, Stiles. He is worried about you. You shouldn’t push your best friend away, especially when something got you enough shaken up to cry on me.” 

Stiles felt his cheeks heat up, he could practically feel them redden, and somewhere next to his embarrassment was a slight irritation. “I know. I do. I just… I think, he doesn’t need that too. He already has enough to deal with.” He said in the end almost self-consciously. 

“Stiles…” Derek said giving him a disappointed look, that was so Alpha-y and powerful that he probably picked it up back when his eyes shined red instead of blue when he shifted. 

Stiles winced. “Fine. Fine. Don’t give me that look! I talk to him tomorrow.” He decided. Derek kept staring at him with an eyebrow raised. “Okay, fine, you are right.” He said but Derek didn’t change his posture. “Ugh, fine I promise, I will talk to him tomorrow. Hear that? Even heartbeat. I’m not lying.” 

“Yeah, not lying, because of course, you will talk to your best friend tomorrow. But promise me you will talk to him like you did to me before. Not holding back anything, Stiles!” he pushed.

“Fine, alright, yes whatever I will, just stop with the eyebrow thing!” Stiles complained glaring at Derek’s now smirking face. “Shut up!”

Derek shared half of an amused smile, which Stiles definitely didn’t stare at, and got up from the bed, slid his jacket on and turned to look at Stiles. 

“Where are you going?” Stiles asked.

“Home?” Derek said looking confused. “Maybe I will stop by Scott’s…” he said like he was talking more to himself, considering the idea. 

“Oh yeah, right. See you later, I guess?” he babbled feeling a little disappointed that Derek had to leave. It wasn’t something to worry about, as he just wanted a close friend to stay a little longer, totally normal behaviour, Stiles reasoned with himself. It happens all the time with Scott anyway. Wasn’t Derek very talkative lately?  _No, shut up brain, what does this have to do with anything?_  

“Yeah…” Derek muttered while Stiles had the inner battle. 

“Do you want me to follow you to the door?” he asked distracted. 

“No, it’s fine.” Derek replied as he turned to leave. “And Stiles,” he said as he stopped by Stiles’ bedroom door. “If you need anything, call me, okay?” 

“Yeah, sure… thanks.” Stiles said smiling but feeling a little confused and… odd. He decided not to acknowledge anything, though. Derek nodded and left.

 

Then Stiles was left alone. This time, though, he felt too empty. Too alone. Too cold. It was like Derek was filling that empty space and now that he left, Stiles could the coldness creep to his bones and leave him shivering alone, in his bedroom. 

It’s probably because of the grief. From the fact that someone he once called a friend died. That was it. Right? Right. 

Stiles sighed and then laid back on his bed, staring at the ceiling once again. He kept his eyes at the glow-in-the-dark stars he put up on when he was 6 years old but didn’t bother to remove when he got older. He smiled fondly at the memory of his young self-instructing his mum how he wanted the stars to be put like.

His mum… he often wonders what she would think of him now. Would she be proud of him? Would she disapprove of his actions? What would she suggest him to do? 

Sometimes, when things got bad and he needed his mother, however, childish or un-manly it may sound, he used to visit her grave. He would go there and sit on the white marble, looking for support by an unknown force or at least a place he can be alone with his mum watching over him.

Now, though… He doesn’t visit her. It’s been a while really since he was last there. Sometimes, he felt like it wouldn’t matter anyway. What good would it be anyway? 

He sighed again thinking about all these and before he knew it, he was asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics used: "Take me Home" by Hollywood Undead.
> 
> in case anyone wanted to know how Maggie looks like, I made a quick scetch. :)  
> (it's the second time I ever scetch on photoshop sorry it's not good)  
>  [Click here for Maggie.](https://36.media.tumblr.com/1242f5ee7260ebdb15b3db8693529913/tumblr_nnkik5R32F1qmixnjo1_540.jpg)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I uploaded something today because I'm in a good mood and why not?  
> I may or may not update on Sunday again(yaaay).

_Where'd you go? Where's your home?_  
How'd you end up all alone?  
Can you hear me now?

 _There's no light, there's no sound_  
Hard to breathe when you're underground  
Can you hear me now? _Hear me no_ _w._

 _How long can I keep pretending to be?_  
_That all the stars in the sky could mean something to me._  
_Heaven will open up if I live on my knees._  
_A man of many words, but a man of few deeds._  
_Walking these streets, so absent of hope._

\------

 

 

Next day was rough. Scott was everywhere with that questioning puppy look and despite what Stiles told Derek, he was so not going to talk about how he feels. That is until lunch, where Scott obviously couldn’t wait anymore for Stiles to open up.

“Derek said he stopped by your house yesterday.” he posted trying –and failing- to look careless and unconcerned. 

“He did.” Stiles replied biting down his sandwich, but didn’t elaborate in hopes that Scott would let it go. 

Scott didn’t though. He kept staring at Stiles expectantly but Stiles avoided raising his eyes, as he simply looked at his food, like there wasn’t anything to talk about. “He smelt like you.” he tried again. 

“He did.” Stiles repeated. “I gave him a shirt.” 

Scott pressed his lips tight. “I noticed.” Pause. “He smelt like you, but kind of salty.” Oh.  _He noticed._  Stiles thought. 

“Yeah-“ Stiles started but he was interrupted by Scott.

“Don’t you dare say ‘he did’ again, Stiles.” 

Stiles glared at him for a second or two. “I was going to say that I kind of cried on him for a while.” He declared moving his hand dismissively, like it was no big deal. 

“What? What happened?” Scott asked after gaping for a second. 

“Relax Scott, it’s fine, I just freaked out a little, I’m okay…” Stiles reasoned. 

“It’s not ‘just freaked out’ if it was a panic attack!” Scott exclaimed.

“Who said I had a panic attack?” Stiles snapped. Scott stopped his arm mid-air in a motion to comfort his friend, with a slightly surprised look on his face. “I’m fine, stop assuming things. Yes, I freaked out, but only because I knew Maggie that’s all. I’m fine. Really.” Stiles said slowly and clearly, believing his words, in order to calm his heartbeat.

Scott narrowed his eyes at him a little but then he exhaled defeated and let it go. “Fine. If you say so.” He started. “Just promise me you would tell me if there was something bothering you.” He added.

Stiles wasn’t sure that if he replied with an ‘of course’ he would be lying so he sighed and said “Oh my god fine!” which wasn’t much of a promise. At least he hoped so.

 

They ate in silence for a while after that. Until Scott spoke up again that is. “Derek said he talked to your dad.” 

 _Again with Derek… Why am I not surprised?_  Stiles thought but said nothing waiting for Scott to elaborate. 

“Your dad told him that he may have found a pattern.” Scott informed him and Stiles instantly perked up his attention snapping at Scott’s words. “Maggie was accused of stealing, but your dad lets her go with a warning, while Colin was accused of leaking the exam answers.” 

“These are just accusations. Besides, if it were a pattern then they must have all done something. What did Adam do?” Stiles cut him off.

“Well, Maggie did confess about stealing to the Sheriff and just somehow Colin and all his friends had too perfect grades. It is not just accusations. I don’t know anything about Adam though.” Scott said frowning.

“That is not a pattern. And they think Adam had an affair, but that’s a whole different thing.” Stiles said sceptically. “Besides, why is cheating on an exam the same thing as stealing something?” he added after a bit.

“Because she stole food and he stole answers.” Scott supplied with a ‘duh’ note in his voice. 

“But then what did Adam steal?” Stiles wondered.

“Maybe that’s what we should find out? He was working at a rather high position in that company, right? Maybe he stole some money from the office.” Scott guessed and Stiles hummed at his friend’s smart thinking.

“Yeah… maybe.” He said thoughtfully. “I’ll talk about it with my dad.” He decided.

“Yeah, you do that.” Scott said and smiled pleased.

 

Stiles did tell his dad what they thought once he got home. The sheriff looked sceptical for a short while before declaring that it was actually a very good idea and he proceeded to call the station for the research to start. He hugged Stiles and before Stiles could do anything more than blink he was left alone in the kitchen. 

He sighed and got to his room. He thought about nagging someone via text messages, but he felt rather exhausted so he voted against that idea before he could even reach for his mobile. Instead, he pulled down his sheets and curled under his comforter, letting sleep take him.

 

His mind, though, seemed to not agree with the idea of a soundless sleep and kept him twisting around his bed, as he kept reliving the times the nogitsune possessed his body and used it to cause harm. Times that normally made him wake up screaming, but he couldn’t seem to shake off the veil of deep sleep that covered his body. It was horrible as before on nightmare could end, another one started.

He felt trapped, lost and hurt. One minute he was talking to Scott, the other he was twisting the katana that was planted in Scott’s stomach, with a wicked smile. The gush of blood was trailing from Scott’s wound coating his jeans with a dark red, almost black, colour, while the sound of skin breaking and healing over and over echoed in the dark room, the same time as the rain was soundly falling out of the window almost too dramatically.

“We are going to destroy all of them, Stiles.”  _his_  voice rang in Stiles mind, while he saw his friends dying horribly in the most brutal ways possible, probably because he wasn’t present when most of them were murdered. 

And then was the final blow. “You killed your mother.” his father’s voice echoed in his head. He knew logically that this never actually happened, it was nothing more than a hallucination he had at Lydia’s birthday party because of the wolfsbane poisoning. Yet it felt so real. He saw his dad throwing the bottle of whiskey at him and before it could crush him he blinked and he was sitting next to his mother’s hospital bed.

He was holding her weak hand and inchoately babbling about his school day, on her demands and she was smiling fondly at him. Her smile was always so beautiful. So bright and always full of life, but so dull and weakened on her shaky fragile form. 

He felt so powerless then, looking at her like that. She used to be so strong, but now too pale under the hospital sheets and it was almost painful to look at her hooded eyes when he remembered them being always so bright and shiny looking amused, curious and delighted the same time. 

Her smile was slowly fading into a blank dull expression and her hands seemed to shake. Her eyes became half-lidded and she weakly squeezed his hand. He, though, paid the gesture no mind and he continued the never ending speech about how he managed to do a trick at the swing that he and Scott have been trying the past month. He thought she was going falling asleep, but the frantic beating and hissing from the machines around him told him otherwise. 

“Momma?” he whispered scared as doctors rushed into the room. Everything became blurry then. Tears were running down his cheeks and he was shaking his head holding his mother’s hand like dear life, before a nurse pushed him backward.

“Mommy?” he asked between his uncontrollable sobs and he faintly saw another nurse coming closer to his rocky form. He thought she said something but he couldn’t listen to anything over the loud muffled yells, the beating of the machines and the pounding in his ears. 

His breath came in short gasps before he couldn’t breathe at all. Black spot appeared in his vision, blood rushed fast in his veins, his head was hurting so bad, he felt sick and dizzy, he couldn’t bring air to his deprived lungs and everything was  _so horrible_.

That one was his first panic attack. He knew that not seconds later Melissa McCall rushed to his side, calmed him and hugged him close till he was able to breathe again.

This dream, though, had other plans. 

This nightmare forced him to shut his eyes while all the loud noises diminished until his breathing came back to a normal rate and his heartbeat wasn't racing anymore. When he hesitantly opened his eyes again, he was back at the Eichen house’s basement. Seriously, he hated this place. 

He blinked the darkness away and then he blinked again once, twice, three times and then the nogitsune was screaming in his face. Its black rotten teeth stood out of his bandaged face and if Stiles wasn’t terrified, or generally horrified of its ugly presence, he would have thought that with that face, it could be the perfect serial killer in a horror movie. 

He yelled startled and then he felt like he was falling, free falling from somewhere high above, until his back painfully crashed the ground. He took a look around to realise that he was in the woods. He relaxed slightly and took a calming breath. This was just a dream. He knew as much. 

He turned his eyes upward and stared right at the moon which was full staring back at him. He closed his eyes and wished he could wake up. Wished he could be back home. 

But judging by the rustle of the leaves and the sound of a branch snapping, his wishes changed nothing. He tentatively opened his eyes only to find his dead bloodied friends staring at him angrily and with a hint of crazed smiles. 

He screamed. Screamed, and screamed, even when he lost track of time. He kept screaming until his voice broke and he had to stop. He slowly blinked his eyes open and took his surroundings to find himself sweaty sitting upright on his bed. When did he sit up? It didn’t matter right now. He let out a relieved sigh and let his apparently aching back to fall back down on the mattress. He thought he was passed that. Not one nightmare have ever been so bad after the got rid of the nogitsune.

 

He was crying, but it wasn’t much of a surprise. His shaky palms were clenching and unclenching around thin air and he willed for them to stop. He let his racing heartbeat to calm and he decided to go to the bathroom to clean up. He felt unsteady on his wobbly feet but he needed to wash the sweat, tears and snort off his face.

His throat was sore, his muscles stiff and his reflection told him his face was not much better. He sighed once again and decided to take a bath instead.

When the water was warm enough he undressed and carefully got in the bath. The steaming water helped relaxing his muscles as he laid his back against the cold surface, keeping his arms around the bath’s lips. Wit calm movements he massaged his legs, torso and arms with shampoo and then washed his face. 

It took a while for his body to fully relax but he was truly exhausted and nightmare or not, he was sleepy soon enough. It wasn’t like he would attempt to sleep again, but at least if sleep took him he would rather be in his bed and  _not_  in a bath, he didn’t want to drown thank you very much. 

Sighing he took the drain off and he let the water disappear as he showered off the soap. He took a towel and whipped his hair as best as he could and checked the clock for the time only to find that it was well after 3 am. His life choices always sucked at this late at night, or rather, early in the morning and although he was sure that Lydia wouldn’t appreciate being awoken at that time, he texted her.

Stiles: How is that least you are supposed to hand us going? 

He sat on his bed and waited for a reply locking his eyes on his mobile’s screen. And waited. And waited until his eyelids started closing and his body fell backward. His mind started to drift off and his eyes became unfocused until he couldn’t see his phone in his hands anymore. 

There was faint music coming from somewhere. An old pattern of notes that sparked a memory he couldn’t reach. He frowned as his left ear twitched at the direction of the sound. He slowly turned his head to the side to see his old yellow music box sitting on his nightstand letting out soft hums and sighs of notes creating a soothing lullaby. He frowned again

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Terribly sorry if it's a bit too complicated. I showed it to a friend before I uploaded it, and she said it was confusing, but that may be because she doesn't watch the show. Please if you feel like that too, let me know :)
> 
>  
> 
> Song lyrcs used: "Hear Me Now" by Hollywood Undead.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha I uploaded today. i'm that nice. (and impatient)
> 
> I actually wrote this while listening to "Dark Places" by Hollywood Undead, which actually starts like a music box so.... I highly recomend listening to it. It's pretty much this chapter's soundtrack.

_I’ve come way too far for this,_

_I’ve put too much work,_

_I’ve dealt with too much hurt,_

_I’ve come way too far for this,_

_But we live in dark places, dark places._

\--------

 

 

 

Nothing indicated that this was an older version of his room as everything was pretty much the same. And that’s how he knew he was asleep again. He stayed relaxed, though, this time, there was nothing threatening about his dream. He was just laying on his bed listening to the old lullaby, nothing to worry about. The music became louder until it started cracking over some notes.

He sat up and inspected the old toy, but nothing seemed wrong. The whole setting though was starting to creep him out, as it looked like a typical scene at a physiological horror film. And just then the lights from the road outside flickered as if to emphasise on his thoughts and prove his inner point. 

The lights fluttered again some more times before completely disappearing leaving him in darkness. “Not again.” He muttered shutting his eyes taking a couple of deep breaths. 

“Stiles?” he heard a familiar voice. He didn’t dare to open his eyes so he clenched them tighter.  “Honey?” his mum spoke up again. He felt a hand ruffling through his hair in a soothing motion. “Stiles, honey look at me.” His mother pleaded but he shook his head violently. 

“Stiles?” Allison piped in. “Stiles, please.” Erica pleaded, but he kept shaking his head muttering a weak “no, please, no.” 

“You know, it’s not nice to ignore your friends.” Aiden spoke up and Stiles could hear the smirk in his voice. 

“Yeah… it’s really not” Matt added and  _what is he even doing here?_  He heard a huff of breath and he could swear that it somehow sounded like Boyd. 

“Leave me alone.” Stiles whispered. 

“Oh, no, where is the fun in that?”  was the answer that sent chills up on his spine.  _Not him again_  he thought as another hand gripped his shoulder and somehow he was sure that one was the nogitsune’s. Stiles flinched whimpering but kept his eyes closed. 

“Come on Stiles, talk to us!” Jennifer Blake said from somewhere on his right.  _That bitch._  

“You go away.” He barked.

“That’s mean.” He heard Heather comment.

“Honey, I thought I taught you to be polite.” His mum scolded him and he could just barely keep the apology in his mouth. So instead he said “No. No, leave me alone.” He whispered just as he felt more hands on him and people whining his name.  _Dead_  people whining his name. 

He kept shaking with tears he wasn’t even sure when he started to produce, his voice trembling broken ‘no’s, until someone gripped his shoulder with too much force making him scream. He screamed louder as is a body was being molested from at least 10 different people. Until the voices stopped. 

Everything was absolutely quiet, apart from his sobs that is. When his mind decided to register back to reality, he realised he was enveloped in a hug and someone was whispering soothing words in his ear. Stiles whimpered pitifully still shaken by the two nightmares in one night. “It’s okay, you are safe kid, you are okay.” His dad kept muttering under his breath.

 

When his tears stopped running freely, Stiles relaxed back into his father’s open arms, only then realising that his dad was still in his uniform.  

“Did you just got home?” he asked, his voice hoarse from all the screaming and the crying. 

“Yeah. I heard you as soon as I opened the door.” The sheriff said tiredly, sending a pang of guilt in Stiles system.

“’M sorry.” Stiles mumbled. 

“Don’t be sorry, son. I should have been here.” He corrected sighing. “Stiles, be honest with me, how long has this being going on?” he asked sounding so concerned and so tired that made Stiles’ heart clench and guilt to drown him. His dad shouldn’t sound like this. Before the nogitsune, he only sounded like this only when his mother died. 

He shook his head “Just today, dad. I’m not lying. It’s only today.” He babbled truthfully. His dad sighed again and then pulled him closer, till Stiles was sitting curled on his lap like he used to when he was young, holding him there, breathing him in. 

After a while, they pull apart and the sheriff went downstairs to make breakfast. Stiles changed into a pair of dark grey sweatpants, a black t-shirt, and a burgundy hoodie. He put on his slippers and guided himself to the bathroom. He once again washed his face and then proceeded into brushing his teeth.

 

He was about to go down the first step of the stairs when his mobile phone went off. He huffed an annoyed breath and went back into his room. The mobile was laying screen-down on his desk. He reached for it to check the caller ID, to find it being Scott’s number. Scott’s smiling face was staring at him as he took a deep breath and cleared his throat, in hopes that he won’t sound like a 50-year-old smoker. 

“Hello?” he greeted and slightly winced from the sore of his throat. 

“Hey, Stiles, sorry if I woke you, we have an urgent pack meeting at Derek’s. Wanna come?” Scott asked slowly as if Stiles was still asleep. 

“I wasn’t sleeping. Right now? I was about to have breakfast!” Stiles whined. 

“Well, yeah… Don’t you want to come?” Scott asked confused.

“No, no okay, I’ll be there.” he agreed and after a quick bye the hung up. He debated whether to change into jeans and a shirt or not, but then he felt too lazy, so he put on a white pair of socks and an old pair of black well-worn vans. Then he went downstairs to meet his dad. 

“You know, I tried to follow your advice and check if Adam stole any kind of money, or anything along those lines, but there is no sign of anything like that. In fact, apart from his affair, I don’t think he ever did anything... Uh… sinful.” The Sheriff started and looked up from the paper sprawled in front of him. He frowned when he saw his son. “Where are you going?” 

“Sorry dad, I can’t stay for breakfast… Something came up and Scott told me to meet his at Derek’s.” Stiles answered apologetically. He got further into the kitchen and grabbed some orange juice while his dad responded. 

“It’s okay, I understand. Don’t worry about it.” The Sheriff assured him, but Stiles knew it wasn’t okay. He nodded, though, dismissing the thought and opened the front door with a “Bye dad!” and then he was gone. 

When he arrived at the loft it was some minutes after 9 am, but he was sure everyone else was already there, if all the parked vehicles around him were anything to go by. He took a breath and looked in the mirror to make sure he doesn’t look completely like shit.

His eyes looked tired and if anyone looked close enough, it was obvious that Stiles had been crying, but that didn’t bother him since it could might as well go unnoticed. His hair was a little ruffled, but that was okay, he often forgot to make it look decent. He wasn’t sure he had willingly gone out of the house in sweats before -that is apart from lacrosse practice, but that doesn't count- but what can you do? 

He cleared his throat, to make sure he sounded rather normal, then nodded at his reflection and got out of the Jeep to climb the stairs up to Derek’s floor.

 

Inside the loft half of his pack mates were tense and pacing, while the other half –obviously  _not_  morning people- were lounging on the couch and on Derek’s bed. “Good morning.” He said and tired sleepy eyes focused on his face returning muffled greetings.

Since after that everyone fell silent, Stiles started talking. “My dad says that they are pretty sure that Adam didn’t steal any money of any kind.” 

“We didn’t expect him too.” Scott posted and maybe it was the too much time he was spending with Deaton at his part time job but Stiles could swear Scott was getting more and more cryptic every day. 

Stiles shot him a questioning look but Lydia was the one to answer. “What if you got this all wrong? What if it isn’t about stealing?”

“Please elaborate.” Stiles pleaded over the headache he was starting to feel.  

“Maybe it’s about doing something wrong or unfair. Something that should be punished.” She said smirking. 

“So Adam had an affair, Colin cheated and Maggie stole food… These crimes aren’t enough to go to court but they still remain unfair and should be punished…” Kira tried to understand. 

“Makes sense,” Jackson said sceptically. 

“So, what do you think it is? The killer I mean.” Malia asked impatiently. 

“I can’t be 100% certain but all evidence lead to Erinye.” Lydia responded. 

“Oh. Oh no. I remember those.” Stiles exclaimed, headache forgotten. 

“Care to share?” Derek asked and Stiles focused his eyes on him and frowned. Derek seemed…  _off_ … shaken. Stiles could put his finger on what exactly was wrong about his appearance but his posture was not his normal one. 

“You know… Greek mythology. Erinyes, Romans used to call them Furies, were goddesses who symbolised the divine vengeance. They were persecuting crimes such as disrespect, injustice, perjury or arrogance. A victim seeking justice could call down the curse of the Erinys upon the criminal. Their main function was to torment those who have committed a sin. They would harass and injure her prey but not kill them immediately. They would pursue wrongdoers relentlessly, until the reach the state death or lead them to court. In Greek myths, it was common to throw sinners of cliffs if I recall right.” Stiles disclosed.

“If they go after people who have done injustice, then they could be after anyone.” Liam posted.

“Why aren’t they after people who have committed more severe crimes? Like murder or something?” Scott questioned.

“My theory is that  _she_ moves from town to town. As you know, apart from the supernatural, Beacon Hills doesn’t quite have high crime rates and if it does, it is quickly dealt with by the law. So, she can either go against small crimes or any kind of supernatural creature.” Lydia analysed. 

“Does she go after ‘sinners’ because it’s their nature to deal with injustice, or because they feed on it?” Jackson asked after a bit of silence. 

Lydia turned to look at Stiles, the same time as Stiles turned to look at Lydia. “We don’t know.” Lydia said sighing. “Why does it matter anyway?” Stiles asked. 

“It matters if she feeds from it. Think about it, if that’s the case, she has already succeeded to hunt and kill 3 preys. What happens when she gathers enough energy? When does she have enough power? What happens if she has enough strength to ambush us?” Derek pointed out with a small wave of his right arm.

Stiles hummed in acknowledgment, but otherwise didn’t reply. There were a few silent heartbeats after that, full of thinking and concentration. 

“So… what are we going to do?” Malia asked. 

“We can’t find her if we don’t know who she is after.” Scott said sceptically. 

“What if we find her next victim?” Liam asked. 

“Yeah, good luck with that. What are you going to do, run around Beacon Hills and check on people?” Jackson sassed. 

“There is no guarantee that it will be someone we know…” Kira posted sceptically. 

“Maybe we can find a way to summon one.” Stiles injected. 

“A victim?” Malia asked. 

“What? No, an Erinye!” Stiles exclaimed annoyed as Scott asked, “Can you even summon one?” 

“I don’t know, maybe. I read that someone seeking justice could call one to for help, but I don’t know if they appear to the seeker or directly to their victim.” Stiles offered. 

“But what if-“ Liam started but was interrupted before he could finish his thoughts.

“This is getting nowhere. There is not anything in the Argent bestiary suggesting that anyone can summon an Erinye. But if anyone knows, then it’s Deaton. I say, let’s ask him.” Lydia pointed determinedly.

“I guess you alright…” Scott said after several seconds of silence and that was enough to have 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics used: "Dark Places" by Hollywood Undead.
> 
> (Yes, lately I listen a lot to HU, sue me.)
> 
> So... Greek Mythology, how about that?


	10. Chapter 10

_Some part of me feels a little bit naked and empty  
I'm stuck underneath a few dirty old blankets, to comfort me. _

_How can I sleep if I don't have dreams?_  
I just have nightmares.  
How can it be?  
I still believe something is out there…

_\--------_

 

 

 

 

When they arrived, they forced the front door open and heard the small sound of the bell indicating that another customer has entered the clinic. The waiting are was empty apart from the two ladies with their sick pets. Kira smiled politely at the ladies while the rest awkwardly stood next to the counter.

Sooner enough Deaton made his appearance and cast a calculating look on the group. He then looked a little apologetically to the direction of his patients. “Come with me.” He told them. “Not all of you, if you may.” He added and headed to the back of the clinic.

The seemingly older lady with the two cats glared at the group of teenagers in front of her and said “I was here first. Millie is sick and Jackie needs to be checked up. I have an appointment!” but no one paid any attention to her and she let an annoyed breath muttering something that suspiciously sounded like ‘rude youth’ or anything along those lines. 

“You can go with Stiles, Lydia, and Derek, while we can wait for you here.” Kira suggested looking at Scott. 

“Are you sure?” Scott asked averting his eyes from Kira to rest of the group to make sure everyone was okay with that plan. 

“I am not.” Jackson protested, but since everyone else nodded or shrugged his protests didn’t do much of anything.

 

The four of them entered the exam room and closed carefully the door while Deaton was putting away a couple of medical objects. “What can I do for you today?” he asked. 

“We are almost certain that the murders occurring the last month are due to the existence of a certain Erinye. And while Wikipedia is helpful, my information isn’t nearly enough.” Lydia said stepping forward, further in the room, purposeful like she was going to make a business deal. 

“I see…” Deaton said looking sceptical. “What do you want to know? I must warn you, though, my knowledge on such creatures is limited.” He added. 

Stiles tapped his fingers on the cold surface of the exam table and asked “Let’s start with the basics. Do they feed on their kills? And if they do, do they just stop being hungry or whatever, or do they gain power?” 

“Unfortunately they do. With each prey they find, they became more powerful and strong. Since she has already attacked 3 times, we can all guess what that means.” Deaton explained with a blank expression. 

“How are we sure it’s female?” Scott asked. 

“What part of goddesses of vengeance didn’t you get? Goddesses. Females. Plus Maggie mentioned it was a lady.” Stiles inputted. 

While Lydia glared at both of them, but otherwise completely ignoring them and asking her own questions. “Is there a possible way to summon one?” 

“I’m afraid that such thing is impossible.” Deaton said a little cryptically. 

“Then how are we supposed to find her?” Scott asked. 

“She is summoned by injustice, which means that you can try to do something illegal. There is something, though, that most people don’t know about. She can also be summoned by guilt, maybe even desperation. If she is near, she will respond and may appear in the person’s dreams, or simply regard them for a short while, maybe even affect them in a way, but she also may ignore them. Once she finds her prey, though, she will make her appearance on her victim’s mind but won’t physically meet them until late in her hunt, barely a couple of days before she kills them or lead them to court.” Deaton clarified. 

“Suppose we somehow find her. How do we kill her?” Derek barked. 

“That… is something I’m not quite sure about. I do own a book, though, on Greek mythology. I can see if there is anything on that matter mentioned there, though I can’t guarantee that I will be able to find an answer.” Deaton responded. 

“But why now? Why is she seeking for power? And why here? Beacon Hills is not a big town and there is not much to kill, apart from supernatural creatures anyway. And if she does not hunt just to satisfy her hunger, then how much power has she gained the last month? Oh, and is there many of them or just 3?” Stiles babbled, but asking all these questions more to himself than anyone else. 

“It is believed that an Erinye can survive up to 7 months without needing to feed. It is obvious since she hunted down 3 victims already, she is powerful enough to go after bigger and stronger preys. But such behaviour is highly abnormal for their kind. Erinyes didn’t use to be like this. Despite their negative interactions with humans, they were called Eumenides, or "kindly ones" in English. As you can understand these creatures were often worshiped, and they would treat injustice as their purpose of living. As for their number, it is common knowledge that there were three of them; Alecto, Megaera, and Tisiphone. It is believed that the 3 sisters asked Zeus to increase their numbers but Zeus replied that the only way for more Erinyes to exist would be if they reproduced with the help of humans. But Erinyes don't mate easily and when they did, their offsprings usually failed to possess their traits and despite their efforts, their population is rather short.” Deaton informed.

“Huh…” Stiles said after a second of silence. “One more question; when does she gain more power, when she kills or when she somehow leads her prey to court?” he asked again after a minute or two. 

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s the same thing.” Deaton replied. “Now. If that’s all, I have patients to treat.” He added waving at the door’s direction. 

“Thanks for the help.” Scott said gratefully while the rest nodded and exited the room.

 

In the waiting area, they found the rest of the pack awkwardly standing as far from the old lady with the cats, who was apparently still glaring daggers at them, as they could. 

“Let’s go.” Scott announced and that was enough to have them all hurry out of the building. 

“If she cast a curse on me, I’m blaming you.” Jackson said annoyed. 

“With that face, you are already cursed.” Stiles commented smirking. 

Jackson cast him an unimpressed look and sneered “Like yours is any better.” 

Stiles did a very childish mockery of Jackson’s words before getting into his car. Jackson glared at him and then moved to his Porsche and watched silently the girls enter the car, while Stiles waited for Scott, Derek, and Liam to follow him in the car so they could all go home. As they took off Scott turned the radio on and they all relax in comfortable silence.

 

“We should make a plan.” Scott suggested after some minutes. 

“We can’t. We don’t have the information we need.” Derek pointed out. 

“For how long do we have to wait?” Scott asked after a short pause.

“Relax. She is not going to kill anyone for at least a week. We’ll figure something out.” Stiles said distractedly. 

Scott hummed but didn’t reply. When they arrived at Derek’s loft, they decided that there wasn’t anything else much to talk about so they all headed home.

 

Stiles thanked all the gods that ever existed because it was Saturday, so he had all the time to go home and lazily watch TV with his dad, until late in the afternoon when the Sheriff decided to go to the station. Stile lounged on the sofa a little bit more before he got bored and sleepy, so he lazily got up and walked back to his room, shoved a few clothes off his bed and laid his back on it with a tired sigh. 

He reached his nightstand and took his red headphones and his mobile. He shuffled through his music library for a short while, until he found a rather nice song he was in the mood to listen. He drummed his fingers in time with the music and mumbled the lyrics. About 10 songs later, he grew tired and bored so he turned the music off and set the headphones aside. 

Now that the music was off, though, the sound of his own thoughts was deafening. He kept thinking about a plan to get rid of the vengeful deity that their town recently attracted. Between thinking and glaring at the ceiling like it personally offended him he let his eyes slip shut.

 

They opened again immediately, though, when he literally felt a clawed hand tear through his abdomen. The sharp pain started him and he instantly forgot about any kind of plans for murder. He flinched and let his eyes focus to the wound in his stomach only to see a scaled hand planted just above his belly button. Blood was leaking from the wound down to his light blue sheets and wetting his torso and navel. 

His eyes followed the scale arm which by the point of the elbow started to fade into pink smooth skin. As his eyes travelled to the upper body of his attacker he found himself staring at…  _himself_. He saw his own whiskey eyes staring back at him with a maddened glint and  _his_  mouth forming a twisted smile. 

He gasped through his already quick breathing and other-Stiles brought his other scaled arm to his lips in a ‘be quite motion’ and then moved his left arm, which was still buried in Stiles’ stomach. Stiles gasped again and whimpered, but otherwise made no other sound. 

His breathing was laboured and his eyes were burning from the tears running down to either side of his face as the sharp pain was almost unbearable. Not-Stiles placed his right arm by Stiles’ face and moved in a smooth motion until he was sitting on Stiles’ crotch, while his left arm was still for some reason searching and rearranging his insides. 

More tears pooled his eyes and his vision was increasingly getting blurrier and spottier, his breathing came in long laboured gasps, he felt blood in his mouth, he was sweaty and wet from multiple body fluids leaking out of him and he was pretty sure he was going to pass out soon. He opened his mouth to scream at a particular harsh twist of the other’s fingers but nothing escaped his mouth apart from more fresh blood. 

His eyes became half-lidded but he did his best to not lose sight of the person wearing his face above him. Not-Stiles, who so long had his attention to what he seemed to look for in Stiles’ guts, raised his eyes and locked them immediately with Stiles’. He cooed happily and pause his search to push his face into Stiles’ neck and nuzzle there for several seconds, before straitening up again and push his hand  _further_  into Stiles’ body. Stiles cried out and he was sure he would be unconscious in a matter of seconds, especially since he just heard the claws tear something that was most likely his lung because his breathing got 100% worse. 

Not-Stiles on the other hand, made an appreciative sound and started pulling something out, while Stiles hoped it wasn’t any kind of vital organ. He held it up proudly and smiled widely at Stiles. Stiles tried to focus his attention back to the object in front of him but his blurry vision made it difficult. Not-Stiles cooed again and pushed the object nearer to Stiles’ face. 

What he was holding was… a black feather? He could process much of anything, though, and he was pretty sure he was losing time because next time he blinked and tried to focus, Not-Stiles was wrapping his wound with a pleased smile. Stiles let his eyes slide shut and almost let the darkness take him, before he felt his other self poke at his wound and he tiredly opened his eyes once more. Not-Stiles aggravated the wound some more before sighing and nuzzling back to Stiles’ neck. 

Stiles let himself drift off for several seconds as the pain was literally killing him but then Not-Stiles made another one of those happy cooing sounds, that if Stiles wasn’t light-headed and dying, or generally being in this situation, he would think it was kind of adorable. 

He opened his eyes again to see his other self inches from his face to kiss the tip of his nose happily and blow a hard punch on his abdomen. This time, Stiles did scream and used whatever energy he had left to jolt up and bend in half. 

He stayed in the same spot motionless, blinded by the pain, but he soon realised that his clothes were not as wet as they were a few seconds ago, so he opened his eyes and saw the absolute nothing. There was no one else in his room and there wasn’t any blood or pain anymore. 

This was nothing but another horrible nightmare. 

Stiles sat there quietly shaking before bursting into tears, overwhelmed by… everything at that point, if he was being honest. He pulled his knees close to his torso and placed his arms around his head as he cried. And cried. And cried until there were no more tears to shed anymore, and he kept rocking back and forth like a mental patient.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics uesd: "Staying Up" by The Neghbourhood.
> 
> (i've waited so long to use that song.)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I drew a wolf. Well... at least I tried...
> 
>  
> 
> Αlso: fluff

_Yeah, it's all alright._  
_I guess it's all alright._  
_I got nothing left inside of my chest_  
_but it's all alright._  
_Yeah, it's all alright._  
_I guess it's all alright._  
_I got nothing left inside of my chest_  
_but it's all alright._

\------

 

 

 

 

He was tired. He was so fucking tired. Fucking exhausted mentally and physically. He couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t stay awake, he couldn’t. He just couldn’t. He couldn’t live like this. He was getting better, no scratch that, he didn’t have a single nightmare for 2 whole months. He had…  _healed_. Yes, there were times he felt trapped and times he would have to check twice if he was awake, but otherwise, he was okay, he almost felt… normal. And now this? Whatever the fuck  _this_  is? No, fuck this. Fuck that. Fuck everything. 

Fuck the nightmares, fuck school, fuck responsibilities, fuck sleep, and you know what? Fuck the bloody winged deities murders. 

New tears leaked behind his eyelids, another sob shook his body and soon enough he couldn’t breathe properly. He grabbed a tissue or two from his nightstand with shaky hands and sweaty palms, to wipe his nose, before getting up to wash his face for the 3rd time that day.

 

When he was done he dried his hands and checked his mobile. He found a missed message from Scott and quickly opened it. 

Scott: Lydia dragged Kira and me to the bowling alley. Pretty soon the others will soon show up. Wanna come? 

He sighed and typed a quick reply to refuse the offer and sat back down on his bed.

 

He didn’t know why he did it, he barely registered his actions, maybe because of the overwhelming desire to escape, but before he registered anything he was closing his car’s door, turning the engine on and driving off.

H circled the town for a short while, relaxing at the low hum of the music and the fresh air blowing from his window, thinking where to go. He could go to the preserve for a walk, but that was clearly not a clever decision, since it was getting darker as the night slowly fell. He couldn’t visit his best friend because he wasn’t home, and he certainly wouldn’t go to the bowling alley to meet all of his friends. Nope. Bad idea. 

And that’s why he found himself outside of Derek’s loft door debating whether he should get in or not, and if he did, should he knock, or just slide it over? Then again, Derek was most likely not home, or heard Stiles the second he entered the building and just stands patiently on the other side. 

Either way, if Stiles wanted to go in, he had to open the door himself. He nodded to himself, and slowly pushed the metal door to the side. He peeked his head inside. He looked over the dark room, as the only light was coming from the massive window covering the one wall. He closed the door carefully and he was about to move further into the loft when he noticed the black wolf o the messy bed. Of course, Stiles didn’t notice it straight away.

 

The wolf was breathing evenly and fluttered its ears when Stiles took a step closer. There was pretty much nothing indicating that the wolf was actually Derek, but Stiles knew he could fully shift and besides never having seen him in a full wolf state before, he was almost certain that that was, in fact, Derek. 

“Derek?” he voiced and took another step closer. The wolf fluttered its left ear to Stiles’ direction once again but otherwise stayed motionless. “Derek?” he asked once more and this time the wolf stirred and slowly lifted its head blinking tired pale green eyes at Stiles. He sniffed the air once, rose from the bed and stretched his legs, before walking gracefully towards Stiles. When he reached him he let his black wet nose brush against Stiles’ fingers and Stiles beamed. If this wasn’t the cutest thing Derek -Stiles was convinced the wolf is Derek by now- have ever done, then Stiles didn’t know what is. 

“Hey. Dude, your wolf form is awesome.” He grinned and ignored how his voice sounded. “Will you bite my hand if I try to pet you?” he asked softly and didn’t even wait for an answer before he was sparing his fingers across Derek’s head. He patiently petted him there until Derek relaxed in the touch and then he proceeded to scratch behind the wolf’s right ear. Derek let a pleased sigh and leant further into the touch before pulling away and staring expectantly at Stiles. 

“What is it, buddy?” Stiles asked and Derek gave him an unimpressed glare at the ‘buddy’, but didn’t do much of anything about it in favour of pushing Stiles to the right, slowly leading him to the couch. With one final push of his head, Stiles fell backwards on the couch with an “oof”. Derek looked pleased with his achievement and he hopped on the couch right next to Stiles. Stiles sat still as Derek nestled on his side, rested his head on Stiles’ lap, closed his eyes and sighed. 

Stiles exhaled and relaxed his back on the pillows. He brought his hand up and once again petted Derek. They stayed there like this for a while, Stiles hand gently coddling through Derek’s soft dark fur and Derek making a sound that sounded suspiciously like a purr, until Stiles was certain Derek had fallen asleep. Stiles tried to resist the urge to sleep as well, because judging from his previous tries, he would most likely wake up screaming or something, but the soft strokes on Derek’s fur were calming him and the room suddenly felt warm and cosy and he was so, so, tired, that he let his eyelids fall shut.

 

He was drifting off when Derek twitched and brought him back to reality. Derek seemed to still be asleep but his was pushing his paws against the pillows and Stiles’ thigh anxiously. He let out a pitiful whine and Stiles didn’t know how to handle the situation. Derek let another whine and a weak cry and Stiles couldn’t leave him to his sleep so he gently shook Derek’s back. “Derek? Wake up. Come on, buddy, wake up.” he said and petted him softly. 

Derek let a louder cry, followed by a growl and shot up. His paws placed themselves on Stiles’ thighs harshly, while his claws tore through the fabric and scratched the skin beneath them. Stiles hissed and winced and Derek’s dazed eyes quickly shot up to Stiles’ face giving him an apologetic and tired look. He let a sympathetic whine and removed his paws from Stiles’ lap, while he brought his face closer to Stiles’ and licked him. In the face. Gross. “Ew, Derek!” he whined with a hint of a small smile. Derek barked playfully and Stiles beamed at him, revealing a wide truthful smile. 

Derek licked him once more and looked down where his claws landed minutes prior. He whined a little and sniffed at the scratches until Stiles pressed his face away. “It’s okay, don’t worry.” he said and gave in to reach and pet Derek again. “Do you plan on turning back to a human?” he asked then. 

Derek huffed like he knew that question was coming. He hopped off the couch and Stiles had a second to miss his warmth. Derek walked towards the bed where a pile of clothes was resting. Before he even reached the pile, he started shifting.

 

The shift was somehow both looking painful, as his bones cracked and moved beneath his muscles, but also mesmerising. His fur was slowly disappearing and his back paws grew bolder and strοnger to be able to hold the weight of the rest of his body. His back grew border and his arms longer. It was a perfect harmony and Stiles found himself staring until awkwardly looking away when Derek was all human  _and naked_  again.

“Take your trousers off.” Derek ordered when he got dressed. 

“What?  _No_!” Stiles squeaked clapping his legs tight -and slightly hissing- like Derek would try to actually take his trousers off. Ha, as if he could. Could he? No. 

“Stiles. I want to see your wounds.” Derek said. 

“ _Wounds_? They are just scratches. They’ll heal.” Stiles protested. 

“That one is bleeding!” 

“I think all of them are bleeding a little…” Stiles frowned and Derek scowled.

  
“You are making it worse. I meant that this one is bleeding  _more_.” He said and pointed at Stiles’s thigh and he was right. More or less. It was bleeding a little more. Key words;  _a little_.

“It’s just scratches for the love of God, Derek.” Stiles exclaimed. 

“We should at least clean them, treat them, something!” 

“ _We_ , shall not do anything.  _I_ , however, may do so if  _I_  please.” Stiles argued.

 Derek sighed defeated in a way that indicated that he had lost the battle to understand the teen long ago. “Can you at least accept the first aid kit?” he tried but Stiles glared at him so he huffed an annoyed breath and let it go.

 He sat back on the couch next to Stiles again and looked at him closely. “What’s up with you?” he asked.

 “What’s up with me? What’s up with you? I could ask you the same question.” Stiles rushed and Derek frowned.

 “You are not like you. You seem… off.”

 “If anyone is out of character it’s you. I’m very much like me, thank you very much.”

 Derek narrowed his eyes. “Stiles.” He said firmly. “Tell me what’s wrong.” He added in a softer tone.

 “Nothing!” Stiles hurried and then sighed. “Okay. I may not have been sleeping enough and there may be a bloodthirsty deity running free, but otherwise I’m fine.” He added almost bitterly.

 “Why can’t you sleep?” Derek asked after a small pause.

 “Did you miss the part of having a bloody murderer in town? Focus on the important stuff!” Stiles exclaimed avoiding the conversation.

 “I am focusing on the important parts. Why can’t you sleep?”

 “Pretty sure that’s not the important part…” Stiles muttered.

“Stiles.” Derek warned.

 “We should do something about that Erinye, don’t you think?”

 “Stiles. Why don’t you sleep?”

 Stiles sighed once more. “It’s nothing. Just nightmares, nothing new and nothing to worry about.” he said.

 Derek made a face. “How bad is it?”

 “Not much really. I just have a shitty week or something I guess. I had two of them last night and one when I got home after Deaton’s.” Stiles said and shrugged dismissively.

 Derek's lips tightened but he remained expressionless. “Is that why you came here?”

 Stiles frowned. “I guess so… I- I don’t know. I just got in the Jeep and drove. I knew Scott wasn’t home, so I sort of… ended up here…”

 Derek nodded and after a few seconds stood up without another word. He headed towards the kitchen and when Stiles asked “Where are you going?” he got no answer. He stayed there for some minutes and then Stiles got curious and bored so he went to inspect. He winced a little when he stood up and annoyed the scratches on his legs but soon the pain faded away leaving an almost unnoticeable ich.

 

Derek was standing in front of the stove, where water, or some kind of liquid anyway, was being warmed, while he was storing some herbs to the cupboards. “What is that? What are you making?” Stiles couldn’t help but ask.

 “It’s something my mother used to make for us when we had restless sleep. It’s a family recipe.” Derek replied and then paused looking a bit melancholic, in a sad way. “Laura used to make it for me after the fire.” He added and after that, there was thick stressed silence.

 Stiles awkwardly sat on a stool and leant over the counter to poke at the bowl of fruits. When Derek finished The Hale Potion -yes, that’s what Stiles is going to call it- he sat next to Stiles and pushed a streaming grey mug to his direction, while he was already drinking his drink from an identical mug.

 Stiles leant down and smelled the drink. It smelled mostly like herbs and honey so he guessed it couldn’t be awful. He took an experimental sip to taste it and – holy shit it was _good_.

 “It’s nice. It’s too good. It’s  _awesome_. You are doomed to make this for me for the rest of your life!” He moaned after taking anther long sip.

 Derek smiled and looked down at his mug. “Whatever you say. Just be careful it’s too hot, you might burn your tongue.”

 “Fire cannot kill a dragon.” Stiles said in a serious tone.

 “Okay, Daenerys. Calm down.” Derek smirked and Stiles gaped at him.

 “You! You got the reference!” he said pointing at Derek accusingly, like he couldn’t believe his ears – which, okay that was the case. “You are my new favourite. I’m keeping you. Scott doesn’t even watch the right stuff.”

 “Oh, I’m honoured to be given the position of your favourite.” Derek said sarcastically and Stiles huffed but kept drinking from the warm mug in his hands.

 “You know, you make a beautiful wolf. You are all nice and fluffy, even when you glared at me. That was adorable. I think I want a dog.” Stiles said dreamingly.

 “I’m not adorable. Or fluffy.” Derek said annoyed glaring at Stiles again.

 “Aww, don’t be grumpy, it doesn’t fit your graceful wolfy features.” Stiles laughed.

 “Shut up.” Derek said. “Graceful wolfy features?” he asked after a small pause.

 “Don’t even try to deny it. You were so cute. Too cute.” Stiles said relaxed.

 “See if I’m cute when I rip things with my fangs and claws.”

 “Adorable!” Stiles shouted.

 “You’ve got issues…” Derek said but smiled fondly and shook his head.

 Soon enough, they finished their drinks and Stiles felt his eyes closing so he leant further on the counter and rested his head on his right arm. Derek took their mugs and placed them in the sink. “Come on.” he said nudging Stiles’ shoulder. “Let’s get some sleep.” He added. 

“N’aww… don’t want to sleep.” Stiles mumbled while sitting straighter and rubbing his eyes. 

“Come on Stiles, you are tired. Right?” Derek asked patiently like he was talking to a small kid. 

“Yes…” Stiles said looking confused. 

“Then come on.”

 Stiles followed Derek to the main room, while Derek was rearranging the sheets on his bed. He pointed at the right pillow and Stiles didn’t need much convincing to smack his face on the bed. 

“Don’t want nightmares.” He whispered sleepily.

“You won’t have any, don’t worry.” 

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

Stiles nodded and let sleep take him. He disconnected from the world sooner than he anticipated and fell into deep sleep and like Derek promised this one was restful and dreamless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song lyrics used: "All Alright" by Fun. 
> 
> (This song is adorable, really. I was going throught the songs on my old mp4 and there it is. Adorable. I had to use it.)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Scott and Stiles bro momments.  
> So nice. It's nice to write something nice every now and then.

 

 _I want to fly_  
_Can you take me far away?_  
_Give me a star to reach for_  
_Tell me what it takes_  
_And I'll go so high_  
_I'll go so high_  
_My feet won't touch the ground_  
_I stitch my wings_  
_And pull the strings_  
_I bought these dreams_  
_That all fall down_

\------

 

 

When Stiles woke up again felt relaxed and completely energised in a way he hadn’t for a while. He tentatively opened his eyes to find himself still on Derek’s bed, but this time, the loft looked empty. The bright light coming from the large window indicated that it was late in the morning, but Stiles couldn’t be sure how late so he reached for his mobile. He was surprised to find out that it was already midday, and this was probably the most he has slept in months.  He had no calls or texts which meant that his dad wasn’t home alone worrying over his well-being. Stiles guessed that he was either still on a shift for whatever reason or someone let him know that Stiles wasn’t spending the night home. Probably Derek.  _What a nice young man._  Stiles thought in an old lady’s voice and then grinned at his joke.

 

He sat up blinking and rubbing his eyes when he realised that his clothes were too loose on his body. His shirt was always loose but these sweats? Certainly not his. He frowned and examined the fabric. It was nice, soft and athletic at once and Stiles considered actually buying one for himself when he gets the chance. He felt something under his fingertips, so he pushed the elastic band off his hip to take a peak. Well, his tights were bandaged up where yesterday’s scratches were.  _That fucker, always so stubborn._  He thought and shook his head fondly. 

And just then the front door opened and Derek appeared holding bags full of fruits. “Good morning.” He greeted. “Want something to eat?” He asked.

“Moring. Yes, please yes.” Stiles answered eagerly and then frowned. “It’s Sunday.” 

“So?” 

“Why are you doing groceries on Sunday?”

“Is it illegal to do so?” 

Stiles let a small laugh and said “Whatever you say.” before standing up and running to the kitchen. 

“Orange juice?” Derek guessed.

“Yes please.” Stiles said and sat on the stool while Derek juiced the oranges.

“How was your sleep?” Derek asked. 

“Dreamless. Awesome. Thanks.” Stiles said. 

“Good. I talked to your dad yesterday to inform him you were spending the night. He said he would be waiting for you for lunch.” Derek said while storing the groceries. 

“Oh, right lunch. Do you… want to join us?” Stiles asked without thinking. Then his mind went overdrive. Did he really just invited Derek to ‘Sunday Stilinski family bonding lunch’ that not even Scott was invited?

“Thanks for the offer, but I have stuff to deal with, sorry.” Derek replied apologetically. 

“Oh, yeah, okay don’t worry.”

 

Soon enough Stiles left the room to pick his stuff and then went back to the kitchen to inform Derek that he was in fact leaving. 

“Can I leave wearing your sweats? I think my pair is a bit torn. And by the way, don’t you think I didn’t notice that you treated my ‘wounds’.” Stiles said using air quotes. Derek went stiff when Stiles stopped talking and Stiles started worrying if he said something wrong. 

“Yeah, sure and I was sure you would notice, there are bandages on your thigh. It was only to be expected.” Derek replied, body still tense. 

“What is it?” Stiles asked tentatively several seconds later. 

Derek stopped and turned to look at Stiles. “Nothing.” He said honestly, but Stiles was sure it was a lie. Derek put back the closed of expression and relaxed his body to look convincing but Stiles had none of that. He narrowed his eyes in disbelief and opened his mouth to speak up but Derek cut him. “You should go. Your father is waiting.” 

Stiles shut his mouth and once again narrowed his eyes while Derek raised a challenging eyebrow.

Why did Derek get upset? Was it something Stiles said? Yes? No. He was hiding something. Stiles was sure.

“Speak up mortal. Share your worries with me” Stiles demanded after several seconds of staring. 

“Mortal?”

“Don’t avoid the question, young were. Do reply to my inquiry.” 

“I have no worries.” 

“ _Lie_.” 

“Since when can you listen to my heartbeat?”

“I don’t need such ability. Yet you didn’t deny the statement, thus, it’s a lie.” 

“Just because I didn’t deny it, doesn’t mean it’s a lie.” 

“You-“ 

“Your dad is waiting for you. You should go.” Stiles was about to protest when Derek shouted “Stiles!” and decided to bodily push him out of his kitchen to the direction of the front door and his phone went off the same time. 

“Rude!” Stiles exclaimed before reaching for his mobile and accepting the call. 

“Are you coming for lunch or what?” his father asked.

Stiles let an annoyed breath. “Good morning to you too, dad, yeah, I slept just fine-“ 

“Stiles” his dad warned. 

“Yes, oh my god, I’m on my way!” Stiles said and then there was a small pause. 

“You are still at Derek’s, aren’t you?” 

“No!” Stiles hurried as Derek yelled “Yes!” Stiles glared at him. Hard. Derek was smirking. That asshole. “Okay, I  _might_  be. Because someone here is stubborn!” he said louder the last part indicating that said 'someone' was, in fact, Derek. “But I was leaving anyway.” Derek muttered something that Stiles ignored and hung up. 

“Behold, Derek Hale, I will figure the mystery of your worries sooner or later. You can’t hide anything from me.” He said as he walked towards the front door. 

“I liked you more when you were sleeping.” Derek muttered annoyed. 

“I will take that as a compliment. I sleep beautifully.” He said when he reached the stairs. 

“You drool.”

“I do not! I refuse to accept such offensive slander.” He said and paused. “Farewell, fellow pack mate.”  He said bowing in an old fashion way. 

“Shut up, Stiles.” Derek said but he was rolling his eyes and smiling. 

“Admit it. You can’t resist my charm. I’m irr-“ he was saying as Derek closed the door. “-estisible. Well, that’s just rude. So rude. Rudeness overload.” 

“Go home Stiles!” Derek shouted from the other side. Stiles huffed annoyed, but it was more of a chuckle if he was being honest with himself, and left the building.

 

It was weird. The fact that he felt energised, as he hadn’t felt like that for a while. He slept over 13 hours and that says something! He smiled happily while he was walking towards his car. 

Soon enough he was home and had the father-son bonding of the week. It was a remarkably relaxing Sunday and Stiles loved every minute of it. By the evening Scott decided they needed to have best-friend bonding so they found themselves sitting on Stiles’ floor playing video games.

“You should have come yesterday. Lydia forbade wolf powers and I suck at this game. You should have saved me.” Scott said over the loud sounds of the battle going on the screen. 

“It isn’t exactly fair to use wolf powers anyway…” Stiles muttered. 

“Yeah but everyone else is good at it.” 

“Bad for you…” Stiles muttered. “Ha! You are dead! I won! Again!” He shouted seconds later high-fiving his own hand. 

“No way! You cheated!” 

“Did not! I couldn’t cheat at this game even if I wanted anyway.” Stiles said as he was doing a little victory dance on spot. 

“Where do you find all this energy? Especially this late…” Scott asked with a small wave of his right arm. 

“Slept well.”

“Derek said you were exhausted.”

“When did you talk to Derek?” Stiles asked surprised. 

“I came by late night.” Scott said shrugging. 

“I didn’t hear you?” 

“You didn’t hear much of anything. Derek’s phone rang and you didn’t even shift on the bed.” Scott said and looked hesitant. “Did you two… you know,  _sleep_  together?” 

“What? No! Where did this come from?” Stiles rushed.

Scott had the decency to look uncomfortable. “He was sweaty, like really sweaty and his hair was bed ruffled. What was I supposed to think?” 

Stiles grimaced. “What? Scott! No. No way, no!” 

“Calm down. It was just a question.” 

“A perfectly normal question.” Stiles said glaring. 

“Well, it was that, or he was dong push-ups while he was sleeping.”

“Maybe he was just having restless sleep. Maybe-“ Stiles paused. Why would Derek be anxious? “Ha! That’s it! I knew he was hiding something.” 

When Scott realised that Stiles wasn’t going to elaborate, he groaned and pleaded Stiles to “make sense anytime soon” while leaning further back on the cushions.

“From your description, he was sleepy, tired and sweaty. He was also anxious when I was leaving. That can only mean one thing!” 

Silence. “I’m not following.” 

“He is worried about something and can’t sleep!” Stiles paused and smirked. “Or I’m just too hot for him to lie next to me.” 

“I’m ignoring the second statement. What would Derek be worried about?”

Stiles looked sceptical. “It’s a theory in progress. I’ll figure that out later.” 

“Uh-huh. Good luck with that.” Scott sassed. 

“You have no faith in me.” Stiles mocked hurt. “ He was fully shifted when I got there. An actual wolf! Did I tell you that? It was awesome. He was majestic. It was the first time I saw him fully shifted. I think I want a wolf. Or a dog. Why can’t you fully shift?” Stiles babbled poking Scott arm after a few silent heartbeats. 

Scott slapped his hands away and rolled his eyes. “If you are done mooning over Derek’s wolf form, I have to go home. It’s late, my mum will be worried.” 

“I think you are mistaken; I am not mooning over anything. I am simply being appreciative over something beautiful.”

“Sure thing.” Scott said smugly and stood up. 

“I am not! Scott, no.” 

“Yeah, whatever you say!” Scott teased. “Good night, see you tomorrow!” he shouted while exiting the room. 

“I hate you.” 

“You love me!” Scott shouted and then he was gone. Stiles huffed annoyed. Stupid Scott. He wasn’t mooning over anything. Over anyone. Ever. Period. 

He shook his head and curled under his comforter and went to sleep. His sleep may not have been completely restful, but at least he didn’t wake up screaming, nor did he want desperately to wake up at any part of his dreams so he counted it a win.

 

 

On Thursday Scott decided to follow Stiles home. 

“Derek is being weird.” He posted frowning on his mobile’s screen. 

“How did you came to this conclusion?” Stiles asked while he was turning the engine on. 

“He is not replying to my texts.” 

“That’s not exactly uncommon.” 

“He stopped answering on Tuesday.” 

“He has done that for more than 2 days.” 

“Yeah, when Jackson was a kanima.” 

“By the way, Jackson was supposed to stay for 2 weeks. Doesn’t he have school?”

“Stiles, focus! I got curious and stopped by his loft and the door was locked and when I knocked he didn’t answer.” 

“Maybe he wasn’t home, why is this weird?” 

“I could hear him breathing in the other room.” 

“So he’s been avoiding you.” Stiles concluded. 

“More or less.” 

“Why would he do that?” 

“No idea.” Scott paused. “You know, we can find out. If you take the next turn left instead of right.” 

“You want us to go to Derek’s? No, I’m going home!” Stiles protests. 

“Please, Stiles!” Scott pleaded. 

“No.” 

“Please.” Scott used the puppy eyes.

“No!” Stiles wasn't going to fall for it again. Nope. He wasn't.

Silence. He looked at Scott. He looked back on the road. He let an exaggerated groan. He turned left. Damn his puppy eyes.

 

 

When they got to the loft they found out that the front door was locked. Of course. 

“Is he inside?” Stiles asked.

“Yes. He is also awake. I think.” Scott replied with his brow frowned in concentration. 

Stiles hummed. “Derek!” He yelled and knocked at the door forcefully, making Scott jump back startled. 

“He is walking.” Scott commented. “He is coming. He- oh. He went to the bathroom. He slammed the door.” 

Stiles shot an annoyed look at Scott. “Thank you, Scott, my puny human ears weren’t able to catch the loud sound of a door slamming shut.” Stiles said sarcastically. “Derek! Come on! Open the door! I won’t hesitate to use Scott!” he shouted again. 

“How exactly will you ‘use Scott’?” Scott asked. 

“You will break the door, or you will use awesome true Alpha powers on him.” Stiles explained. 

“I’m not breaking his door! Nor am I going to make him submit. If he wants to be alone, I respect that.” Scott said and Stiles glared at him. 

“Why not?” he asked and at Scott’s look, he added, “Okay, whatever, just tell me what he is doing.” 

“He is in the bathroom, Stiles. What is he supposed to do?” 

“Avoid us!” Stiles yelled and flailed. 

Scott looked thoughtful. “Fine. Just shut up. I need to concentrate.” 

Stiles waited patiently. He really did. It was not his fault he was pushing back and forth on his heels. 

Scott frowned. “He is… I don’t know. His breathing is rushed.” 

“Open the door.” Stiles demanded.

“No!” Scott said and Stiles glared at him until his expression went blank and then surprised.

“Oh!” He exclaimed and started searching his backpack. “Huh. I knew I would need that.” He said holding a small key. 

Scott shot him a pained look. “Do I want to know?” 

“Nope.” Stiles said popping the ‘p’ and unlocked the door. He didn’t even wait for Scott as he hurried to the bathroom. “Derek?” he said tapping the door. No answer. He went for the knob. Unlocked. Hell yeah. He tentatively opened the door. “Derek?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Lyrics used: "Wings" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis.


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sad!Derek breaks my heart :(
> 
> People often don't appreciate Derek enough so I had to. whoops

_Welcome to the world and all the land in it was wasted_  
The blood upon your hands and the wickedness that made it  
Sing or scream it all and the memories keep fading  
See the exit wound, dear God, what have we taken?

_All the weight of all the world is right between your shoulders  
Heavy is the heart when the world keeps growing colder..._

_Who left the door open?_  
Who left me outside?  
I'm bent I'm not broken  
Come live in my life

 _All the words left unspoken_  
Are the pages I write,  
I’m on my knees and I'm hoping,  
That someone holds me tonight

 _Hold me tonight_ _._

\--------

 

 

Derek was sitting on the floor, with his knees close to his torso, while his eyes were red-rimmed and looking completely frightened. “You shouldn’t be here. Go away.” He said hoarsely. 

“Hey, it’s okay, Derek. What’s wrong?”  Stiles asked approaching him slowly.

“No, Stiles,  _leave_!” Derek shouted and Stiles froze mid-step. 

“Derek?” Scott tried from the doorway. 

“No! Scott. Go- she-she said-“ 

“She? Who is she?” Scott asked and Stiles’ eyes widened and he gaped. 

“You are seeing her. The Erinye. She is hunting you.” Stiles rapped with a look of horror and sat down only some inches away from Derek.

“No! Leave! She said she would-“  Derek tried to say but he chocked on a sob and just like Maggie, he reached and tugged Stiles harshly on an embrace and shook with tears. 

“Oh, Derek, why didn’t you say anything?” Stiles asked hugging him back. 

Derek shook for a while before replying in a small voice. “She said she would kill all of you if I tried anything.” He sounded so young and vulnerable that Stiles’ heart clenched. 

“You should have told us.” Scott said gently and moved closer to put a soothing hand on Derek’s shaky shoulder. And Derek let out a wounded sound that broke Stiles’ heart into billion pieces.

 

Everyone always forgot how young Derek actually was. Always forgot he was not much older than them. Always forgot that if Derek shaved, and eased up a little bit, he looked like a normal 24-year-old. 

Because Derek… Derek has gone through so much. Derek has lost so much.

Derek was only 15 when his 1st girlfriend died in his arms. Derek was 16 when his 2nd girlfriend seduced him and then used him to find out about his family and burn his house down, leaving only survivors himself, his sister and his uncle -who was so bad that suffered from severe injuries leaving him in a comatose state for 6 years.

Derek who -when he finally reached a stable phase which included establishing a new home in New York with his older sister and former Alpha- was dragged back to his hometown, forced to live in a burnt out cask of his old house, to find about said sister’s death and then realize that his uncle, who used to be his best friend, and then in a comatose state, was the one who killed his Alpha and only family he had left. Like that wasn’t enough, his murderous crazy hunter ex-girlfriend was back in town. 

And when he thought everything was fine again, when he killed his own uncle and became an Alpha, he made several horrible life decisions, which may have gifted him with a small pack, but also had 2 of the betas he turned killed, and half of the police station massacred, due to the declared war of the hunters and the kanima and the existence of an Alpha pack. 

An Alpha pack. A pack which somehow found and captured his, previously considered dead from the fire, younger sister. A pack of people who made him kill with his bare hands his beta and then left with smug smiles and threats. 

And like that wasn’t enough, his girlfriend, who turned to be a dark druid, a darach, used him to take revenge against said Alpha pack. Derek didn’t easily let people in, but he did let her, and she  _used_  him. Once again, he was betrayed. 

Soon after Derek lost his Alpha-ness, but at least his sister and remaining beta was alive, right? He was alive, he got rid of everyone trying to hurt him and joined Scott’s pack. Scott who was nothing than a new turned Alpha. But they managed. Right? They were almost okay. But the nogitsune knocked the door and brought chaos and misery to the town.

It didn’t directly affect Derek, but it was enough to burden him, just in time to find out that his crazy ex-girlfriend, not the darach, the other one, the hunter, was in fact very much alive and hunting him. Fucking Kate Argent. She stripped Derek from his wolf powers, leaving him a mere human for a short while and then she sent a berserker to kill him. And she succeeded for a while. He did die. His heart stopped and all that. He would have stayed dead, if it wasn’t for him ‘evolving’, which sounds stupid now, but he did evolve. He got strong again. He pulled himself together.

But now? Now  _this_? How much can someone go through? 

A stupid Erinye chose  _him_ , the most damaged citizen of Beacon Hills, as her next prey? She probably put took advantage of his guilt and made everything look like it was his fault to succeed and she did. Derek is  _crying_. In Stiles’ arms. Derek is terrified. 

Stiles sent a worried look at Scott’s direction before squeezing Derek in his hug and muttering soothing nice words to his ear. It was pretty weird to hold Derek like this, but it felt  _right_. It felt right to be there, to offer comfort to someone he cares about.

Derek cried. And cried until there were no more tears and he was left shaking from the aftermath of his outburst. Stiles didn’t pull away. He let Derek get as much comfort as he needed, and Derek was glad to comply, as he stayed there for some more, his nose at the crook of Stiles’ neck where the familiar scent was rich and calming.

 

They stayed there for hours, or at least that's what it felt like, even after Scott left the room and went to the kitchen. But then Derek was pulling away releasing his tight grip on Stiles’ middle to fall back against the bathtub to rub and wipe his eyes, a gesture that was kind of adorable even at that moment.

“Thank you.” Derek said making eye contact and Stiles was sure he was never told anything more truthful than those two words of pure gratitude. 

Stiles nodded dumbly and said, “You are welcome.” 

But then Derek was putting on the closed off expression again and Stiles knew what was coming before Derek could open his mouth. “Sorry about that. But you shouldn’t have gotten here. You should go. Please. If she finds out…”

“No, Derek. I’m not leaving. You are not to stay alone. And  _she_  can’t hurt me.” Stiles said and Derek shook his head negatively muttering little ‘no’s that had Stiles grip Derek’s upper arm to force him to look back at Stiles’ eyes and understand his words. “I am not leaving you. I’m not going away. You are not alone. Not when I can do something about it.” He posted in an assertive tone. 

Derek’s closed off expression completely vanished and his eyes teared up once again. “I don’t want you to die. I don’t want anyone else to die because of me.” 

“No one is dead and no one is going to die because of you. It is not your fault, whatever she is trying to convince you is a lie. Snap out of it.” Stiles said desperately. 

“I was the one that told Ennis to bite Paige, I am the one who let Kate in. I killed my family. I killed Peter, I killed Boyd, I killed Erica, I almost killed Cora, I almost let you die-“ 

“Slow down there.  _You_  didn’t kill Paige. Ennis did.  _You_  didn’t kill your family. Kate did,” when Derek was about to protest Stiles shoot him a harsh glare. “ _You_  didn’t light the match.  _You_  didn’t start the fire.  _You_  didn’t kill Erica. The Alpha pack did.  _You_  didn’t kill Boyd. Just because he died off your claws, doesn’t mean you killed him.  _You_  had nothing to do with Cora’s state of health and it certainly wasn’t  _your_  fault the nogitsune chose me. Stop punishing yourself for crimes you never committed.”

“But I gave the bite to Boyd and Erica, and Cora didn’t have to go through all these. She would have healed if it wasn’t for Jennifer. My girlfriend.” Derek shouted defensively and Stiles had a moment to wonder who he was defending.

“Oh my god Derek! People have used you and betrayed you multiple times in the past. Just because someone uses you doesn’t mean it’s your fault! You can’t punish yourself for crimes you didn’t commit.” Stiles shouted louder than Derek in pure anger just as Scott came back into the room holding a steaming mug of what seemingly was tea.

Scott handed the mug to Derek, who took a while to respond because he was looking surprised at Stiles. 

“Stiles is right Derek. Stop doing this to yourself.” Scott said quietly while sitting close to him.

Derek looked at Stiles and huffed a broken laugh. “You should follow your own advice, you know? It would sound more convincing if it came from someone who wasn’t practically reeking of guilt most of the time.” 

Stiles felt cold rush from his spine to his limbs and absolutely froze. Scott looked taken aback and guilty. It hurt. It fucking hurt and it was a low blow and Derek obviously felt bad about what he just said, but Stiles was already feeling the back of his eyes heat up with the horrible urge to cry, and his stomach rolled. 

He pushed himself back and he was about to stand when Derek’s hand curled around his forearm. “Stiles, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have thought that.” He rushed and looked apologetic. “Please don’t go.” He added in a softer tone looking straight at Stiles’ eyes and Stiles couldn’t refuse that plea, so he carefully sat back down on the cold floor.

Scott squeezed Stiles' shoulder with one hand and Derek’s with the other in a reassuring Alpha gesture. “I think we can take this outside of the bathroom. Why don’t we go to the living room or the kitchen?” Scott suggested after several heartbeats of silence.

They both nodded and did get up.

 

They settled in silence for a short while before Stiles decided to speak up. “Okay, what do we do now?”

“I don’t know…” Scott started. “We need a plan…” 

“No shit Sherlock.” Stiles remarked bitterly.

“Deaton hasn’t found anything yet.” Scott informed. 

“How long does it take him to read a single book?” Stiles whined. 

“Two books actually. An English and a Greek one.”

“Oh.” was all Stiles said. 

Silence followed again and Stiles couldn’t help but notice Derek fidgeting. “Why did you think _she_ was going to kill us?” he wondered.

Derek looked startled. “She gave me a pretty graphic description, and then a nightmare to actually live it.” He snapped and then looked down as a sad expression passed his face. “I told you, you shouldn’t have come here.” He added worried and Stiles could almost see him tearing up again. 

“And we told we wouldn’t leave. Now, we need a plan.” Scott tried. 

“But you don’t understand. When she comes back, she will know. She will know you came, she will know I told you!” Derek said frantically. 

“I don’t care. I don’t fucking care. She can come and do whatever to me, but we are not leaving. Get that through your thick head.” Stiles hissed determined, while both Derek and Scott looked at him surprised. “We need a plan.” Stiles repeated Scott’s words.

“Okay… here is what we are going to do. I’ll call the pack to arrange a meeting. Can you, uh, take Lydia and go to Deaton’s to see if you can find anything?” Scott suggested. 

“What good will we do? We can’t translate…” 

“I think Lydia can. She mentioned it once.” Scott claimed. 

“How many languages can she speak?”

“Apparently a lot.” Scot smirked. 

Stiles hummed. “In that case, what will I do? I can’t translate, and I can’t find anything through Google except of vague suggestions. Most sites claim that Erinyes are immortal.”

 

Scott looked thoughtful. “When was the last time you ate?” Scott directed the question to Derek whose stomach let a particularly loud groan even to Stiles’ human ears. 

Derek had the decency to look guiltily on the floor and shrug. “I don’t remember. Monday?”

Stiles gasped. “Derek!” he scolded while Scott looked resigned, almost like he was expecting the answer. 

Scott took a deep breath and scrunched his nose up posting “You should also consider taking a shower.” Derek didn’t disagree and nodded. “Okay, here is what we are going to do. I have to visit my mum, so I’ll tell Lydia and Kira to go to Deaton’s while Malia and Liam will go grocery shopping. Your freezer is almost empty. You are staying here with Stiles.” Scott told him and Derek looked ready to protest. “Yes, you do need a babysitter” Scott added quickly and Derek huffed annoyed. A funny thing to watch. Really. Stiles may or may not have chuckled and Derek may or may not glared at him.

“What are you going to do?” Stiles directed the question to Scott. 

“Told you, I have to go to my mum. Hey, can I take your jeep?” 

“Right, yes, okay.” Stiles said and reached and pulled his keys out. “Here. If you scratch my baby, you are dead.” He added handing his keys to Scott. 

“Yeah, I know.” Scott replied rolling his eyes and soon abandoned the loft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Lyrics Used: "Outside" by Hollywood Undead


	14. Chapter 14

 

  
_It’s who we are_  
_Doesn’t matter if we’ve gone too far_  
_Doesn’t matter if it’s all okay_  
_Doesn’t matter if it’s not our day_  
  
_Because it’s who we are_  
_Doesn’t matter if we’ve gone too far_  
_Doesn’t matter if it’s all okay_  
_Doesn’t matter if it’s not our day_  
  
_So won’t you save us_  
_What we are_  
_Don’t look clear_  
_Cause it’s all uphill from here_

 

\--------

 

 

 

 

 

“You should probably take a shower.” Stiles said after a couple of silent heartbeats.

 Derek frowned but wordlessly stood up and left the room. When Stiles heard the water being turned on, he moved to the living room and sat on the sofa, to amuse himself with his phone, which was currently being charged.

 It took Derek a good 15 minutes to finish his shower. And when he opened the door, with just a towel loosely hanging around his hips, while the water dripped from his hair to his defined abs, his eyes were suspiciously red-rimmed again. Stiles chose not to mention anything and Derek scowled and went upstairs to get dressed. 

10 minutes later Stiles got bored and started pacing debating whether or not he should invade Derek’s room. Stiles never really understood why Derek chose to sleep in the main room, while he literally had his own actual bedroom upstairs, but when he asked Peter, he shrugged and ignored him.

Eventually, he decided that as he was supposed to ‘babysit’ him, he was also supposed to check up on him when he stubbornly locked himself in his bedroom like an actual teenager. 

He signed and walked up the spiral staircase. On the upper floor was a small hallway leading to 3 doors. The one on his left was slightly ajar, so he went for it and pushed it open.

 

The room was minimalistic and almost too dark, as the only light was coming from outside. The walls were a lexicon quarter kind of colour, maybe a bit whiter, and the floor was dark brown and wooden, covered by a black carpet.  On his right hand was a black wooden desk, while on his right was a matching dresser and straight in front of him was a bed framed by two nightstands on each side, a bookcase on its right and a balcony door on its left. The whole room seemed to have been bought as a set, because the colours were all matching and repeating. 

Derek seemed fast asleep on his bed, fully dressed, while his towel was resting on his desk chair. Stiles was surprised to see that almost every surface of the room was full of framed pictures. He knew, he shouldn’t further invade Derek’s room, but curiosity took the better of him, so he tiptoed to the desk. 

Many of the pictures were burnt off at the sides, but there were some newer, pictures of someone, Stiles’ mind recognised that someone as Laura, who was smiling brightly and happily at the camera. Often, in some of them, was Derek’s grumpy face, which screamed ‘go away, Laura’, even to Stiles’ mind. 

Stiles had a moment to wonder how Derek’s family managed to take pictures without having their eyes mess with the light, but that thought was quickly shoved away, as he took a better look at the pictures that had obviously been taken before the fire. Derek was smiling. Derek was smiling at every single one of the photos. Derek was actually  _happy_. He was even smiling in delight in the picture he had with a younger version of Peter. 

Some of the pictures were planned, like the one Derek stood next to Laura and a smaller boy, all 3 dressed in formal clothes like they were going to a wedding, and some others were completely spontaneous and unplanned, like the ones Stiles’ mother used to take to ‘seal the memory’, when she was still alive. Like the one Derek was chasing Cora and another young girl, around the back yard, or like the one Cora was covered in what looked like flour, Laura had chocolate on her face, Derek was holding a bowl and a big spoon, with his hair ruffled and his clothes dirty and an older man, who looked like the 3 kids, so Stiles figured it was Mr Hale, was smiling gleefully while holding the flour and chocolate syrup.  

It was a truly beautiful sight. Everyone was happy. Derek smiled. Peter looked normal, he didn’t have that crazy look in his eyes and even if he looked mischievous and all that, he looked… sane. Laura was alive, nothing like the image of her dead cut in half body that Stiles used to remember when he thought of her. And Cora? Cora was another happy careless kid. 

 

Right then, Derek mumbled a small protest and shifted on his bed, causing Stiles to jump and flail in order to snap his attention to him. Stiles was relieved to realise that Derek was still asleep, so he exhaled and relaxed. He tried to be stealthy and go back downstairs, but Derek shifted again and let out a small whine. And then whimpered. And then whined again. And Stiles was still at the doorway, looking at Derek trying to figure out how to wake him up without getting clawed or anything again. A tear escaped Derek’s left eyelash and Stiles snapped. 

He rushed to the bed and tried every way he knew of to wake him up, at first putting some space between them, but then ending up scooping him in his arms like he knew his father did when he had a nightmare. Derek seemed to soon wake up, but as he was still shaken from his dream he stayed in Stiles’ arms sobbing a little bit more. 

It was surreal to see Derek like that. It reminded Stiles that they didn’t have as much time as they liked to think. It made him realise that if they didn’t do anything soon, Derek may not live long enough to come to the movie they booked tickets for next week. Derek may not  _live_. 

The realisation punched him in the gut and caused him to hug Derek closer, like if he let him go, he would never get the chance to see him again. 

Minutes later, Derek seemed to get himself together. He pulled away and he wiped his eyes. He tried to shook away the fearful look in his eyes and replace it with his usual expressionless mask. He really tried. Stiles will give him that, because he wouldn’t even think about pulling himself together, so yeah, kudos to Derek, but he still looked shaken and terrified. 

“She knows, you know.” Was the first thing Derek said. 

“Don’t worry about me.” Stiles commanded and Derek nodded. “Come on, Scott should be here soon.” He added and stood up. 

 

Stiles was right. Just as they walked downstairs and Derek washed his face, the whole pack magically appeared at the door. Malia and Liam carried the bags to the kitchen, while Lydia sat annoyed at the sofa. Stiles shared a look with Scott, who shook his head negatively. They soon all gathered in the living room.

Malia bumped Stiles’ shoulder and smiled at him encouragingly. He returned the gesture and then turned his attention to the rest of the pack. He sat next to Lydia and then asked “What did you find?” 

“Nothing. Absolute, fucking nothing! The book goes on and on unimportant things, and it stops abruptly when her abilities are disclosed.” Lydia huffed fuming. “There is another book. There has to be.” She added determined.

“Are you sure?” Liam asked.

“I was frantic when I couldn’t further translate so I searched for clues. I was relieved to find the number 1 on the back cover. The book was old and it was barely visible, but it was still there.” She promised. 

“Then, where is the second book?” Kira asked. 

“Probably at Deaton’s family home?” Scott guessed. 

Lydia hummed approvingly. “Portland to be precise.” 

Stiles frowned. “That’s like 15 hours drive!” he exclaimed. “Plus, I thought Deaton was Canadian…” he added thoughtfully and at Scott’s look, he continued “Morell was Canadian. She is his sister-” but was cut by Lydia who glared at them and spoke up. 

“Exactly because this is a 15-hour trip, I need to call my mum. I just need to know the plan first.” She said. 

“What plan?” Malia asked.

“Exactly.” Lydia deadpanned. 

“Okay… a plan…” Stiles considered. “Well, suppose we have a way to kill her, how can we ambush her? Most importantly, how can we find her?” 

“Well… we can wait until Saturday or something when she is going to reveal herself to Derek anyway…”Malia suggested. 

“We are going to use Derek as bait?” Stiles frowned. 

“It’s a nice plan, she is going to come sooner or later, she is just making it easier for us to find her…” Derek inputted. 

“Derek, we can’t use you as bait!” Stiles protested. 

“Why not?” 

“Stiles is right, if we can help it, no one is getting baited.” Scott decided. 

“It’s pretty much the only way.” Lydia said. “We can’t draw her out in any other way…” she added. 

Scott went to protest, but Kira beat him to it “I don’t like it either, but it’s really our only chance.” 

Scott looked sceptical and after a pause, he exhaled defeated. “Fine.” 

“What? Not fine!” Stiles shouted. 

“Stiles.” Derek warned and Stiles huffed while leaning further on the couch. 

“I’m not okay with this.” He declared. 

“We noticed.” Jackson remarked and Stiles glared, resisting the urge to punch him. 

“Why are you still here again?” Stiles challenged. 

“I was supposed to leave tomorrow, but I guess, I’ll have to stay to help your sorry asses.” Jackson said and shrugged. 

“If you two are done, I have to leave town.” Lydia raised her voice, successfully cutting Stiles. 

“It works. It’s a nice plan to follow for now.” Scott said.

“Good. I’m leaving in an hour. Expect me back tomorrow late at night if I’m lucky.”

“What about school?” Kira asked. 

Lydia raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow and dismissed the question in favour to stand up and said “If you excuse me, I have a road trip to get to.” She waved and left. 

There was silence for several heartbeats, where everyone stared at the door, before Malia spoke up. “What are we doing now?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Lyrics used: "Who We Are" by Imagine Dragons.
> 
>  
> 
> (Prepare yourselfs for more imagine dragons lyrics, I chose to use them all at the final chapters. The end is near. You have all the imagine Dragons for you.)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is small (and kinda cute), but I didn't want to cut the next chap in half.  
> Expect the next chap... Tomorrow! That's right, I'll upload tomorrow just because.

 

 _In the morning light let my roots take flight._  
_Watch me fall above like a vicious dove._  
_They don't see me come, who can blame them?_  
_They never seem to catch my eye but I never wondered why…_  
  
I won't fall asleep.  
  
_Don't let 'em know we're coming,_  
_tiptoe higher,_  
_Take some time to simmer down, keep your head down low_.

 _From your slanted view see the morning dew_  
_Sink into the soil, watch the water boil_  
_They won't see me run, who can blame them?_  
_They never look to see me fly, so I never have to lie_  
\-----

 

 

“I suppose we should all head home.” Scott said. “I think I’m going to stay here. If that’s okay with you.” He added looking for Derek’s approval. 

“Yeah, of course.” Derek responded shrugging.

The rest of the group nodded and said their goodbyes in order to return back to their homes.

 

When Stiles got home it was 7:30 pm. He talked to his dad for a short while, who was generous enough to let him stay home the next day, but worried enough to complain about Stiles’ plan of following the pack to a battle when he had no protection, and then argued about how he should at least teach him basic fight skills sometimes soon because he wouldn’t like to find his son beaten because he was stubborn and careless.

Stiles argued back for a while but then agreed because he knew he couldn’t shake off his father’s worry. He hugged and reassured his dad before taking a shower and slamming his face on his bed. He turned off his alarm and let himself fall into a dreamless exhausted sleep.

* 

When he woke up, he felt well-rested and relaxed. He was surprisingly happy and he found himself humming 3 different songs under his breath while he was going through his daily routine and dancing on spot while he was pouring milk in his bowl. 

He half-danced half-walked up the stairs singing at the top of his lungs and looked for clothes.

He was sure he was bothering a neighbour or two, because he sounded particularly awful at the chorus of “I Came To Party” and  _almost tipped_  –he definitely tipped- while dancing while shouting “Hands up girl give me that body!”, but he didn’t find himself caring, so he went on searching for his favourite Captain America t-shirt, thinking about how long it took to be shipped and how Deuce was actually a nice singer.

 

He was soon ready to go, so he got in his car and drove to the loft. It was quiet there. Scott was fast asleep on the couch and Derek was twisting and turning uncomfortably on his bed. Stiles shook his head and cleared his throat loudly. Scott stirred and sat up quickly like he was caught  cheating on a test and Derek stirred and looked around like a lost puppy which was kind of adorable. “Rise and shine!” Stiles exclaimed happily and Derek groaned and glared at him. “Do you have any idea what time it is?” Stiles continued. “No, okay, let me enlighten you. It’s midday already. It’s actually 14:32 to be precise.” He added checking his mobile for the time.

“Shut up.” Derek mumbled and buried hid face in his arms. 

Stiles mocked hurt. “Rude.” He said and looked at Scott who sighed. 

“We didn’t really get much sleep. He kept waking up and I kept waking up and I made him tea 5 times after the pack left.” Scott said grumpily. “Where do you find all this energy?” 

Stiles beamed. “I don’t know, I slept early, I awoke late, I listened to music, the sun is shining the birds are singing and I’m in a good mood. You should be happy. Besides, it’s Friday, and Monday is officially school-less because of break!” Stiles exclaimed happily.  _If we are alive on Monday…_ a dark place in Stiles’ mind added and he almost grimaced before shoving that thought away. “Breakfast!” he declared clapping his hands and heading to the kitchen. “Or lunch,” he smirked. “feeling like cooking. Anyone want anything particular?” he shouted and completely ignored Derek’s comment which was “yeah, silence.” and went on talking. “What about pasta? It’s been a while since I made anything Italian which isn’t pizza…”

He nodded his head in agreement with himself and searched Derek’s cupboards for ingredients. He hummed a song under his breath as he was grabbing the onions, the olive oil, the garlic, the tomato juice as well as the macaroni. After a few failed attempts to get find essential kitchen supplies, he found two suitable pots for his work and practically slammed them on the counter shouting a “sorry!”. He took the bigger one and filled it with water and a spoonful of salt. He placed it on the stove to boil and then moved on to the smaller pot, which he filled with a half a glass of oil. He proceeded in chopping the onion in delicate long pieces, ignoring the sting it caused to his eyes and Scott’s annoyed comments and threw them in the smaller pot. He waited for it to heat up while chatting with Scott who had followed him in the kitchen. 

Derek poked his head in the kitchen and watched them for a short while before he drank some water and returned back to the living room. Soon enough, the water was boiling so he threw the macaroni in and moved to add the tomato juice and some water in the smaller pot, alongside with salt, pepper, cinnamon and other kind of spices he thought would improve the taste.

“Is this your mother’s recipe?” Scott asked excitedly. 

“Yep!” Stiles replied popping the ‘p’. 

“Awesome!” Scott said and Stiles smiled at his best friend.

 

Soon enough the food was ready, so Stiles took pout three plates and filled them, before adding some cheese on top. He placed them on the table neatly and proudly admired his work for several seconds before beaming and saying “Perfect!” 

Scott made an appreciative sound and sat on a chair and tried to take a bite before Stiles slapped his hand away and told him to call Derek over. Then Scott froze and tensed. “He is not here.” 

“I know, that’s why I asked you-“ Stiles started.

“No! He is not  _here_ , in the loft!” Scott shouted and shot up, successfully knocking his chair on the floor and ran to the other room.

Stiles looked regretfully at his plate and then at the whole lunch he made with so much love and sighed. He followed Scott in the other room. “How come you didn’t hear him go?” 

Scott looked a little guilty. “I was distracted with food?” he said hesitantly. 

“Scott!” 

“You are right, but we don’t have time for that now. We have to find Derek.” Scott said already exiting the loft and quickly running down the stairs. 

Stiles hurriedly followed him and in the meantime cursed everything and everyone because there wasn’t an elevator. “Can you smell anything?” 

Scott stilled for a few heartbeats and sniffed the air. “Yeah, he went right. He didn’t take a car, obviously and his scent is still fresh, he can’t have left too long ago. More or less half an hour, I think.” 

Stiles hummed. “Make it 15 minutes. He came in the kitchen when I was cooking, remember?” he said and unlocked his car. 

“Yeah…” Scott muttered and got in the passenger seat. “Where do you think he went?” he wondered as Stiles was pulling on the road. 

Stiles had a vague idea of the place -considering that all victims were drawn to the woods, where else could Derek be?- but he wasn’t quite ready to register the thought so he chose to determinedly post “We are going to find out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *dramaticaly sings New Found Glory* ... And it’s all downhill from here, And it’s all downhill from here, Your good intentions slowly turn to bitterness...
> 
>  
> 
> Song Lyrics Used: "Tiptoe" by Imagine Dragons


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I promised, here have the next chap.
> 
>  
> 
> This is a nice long chapter and I am proud of myself.

 

 _When the hour is nigh_  
_And hopelessness is sinking in_  
_And the wolves all cry_  
_To fill the night with hollering_  
_When your eyes are red_  
_And emptiness is all you know_  
_With the darkness fed_  
_I will be your scarecrow_  
  
_You tell me to hold on_  
_Oh you tell me to hold on_  
_But innocence is gone_  
_And what was right is wrong_  
  
_'Cause I'm bleeding out_  
_So if the last thing that I do_  
_Is to bring you down_  
_I'll bleed out for you_  
_So I bare my skin_  
_And I count my sins_  
_And I close my eyes_  
_And I take it in_  
_And I'm bleeding out_  
_I'm bleeding out for you, for you._

\------

 

 

When Scott stuck his head out of the window to scent the air, Stiles had a nostalgic flashback. Nostalgic because, well, their problems then may have been considered to be major, but now they felt minimal. And let’s not forget that everyone was alive. Unlike now.  _Not a good time for this kind of thought brain…_  Stiles thought and tried to concentrate. 

“Left” Scott ordered and Stiles turned. 

It went like this for several minutes, before they were well in the woods and Stiles couldn’t take the jeep further, so they had to walk. “Where is he?” Stiles asked after almost tipping the second time. 

Scott listened and then frowned. “He is talking… saying something about his family.” Scott said and jogged to the direction of the sound, but he suddenly froze and started running. “She is here!” he shouted and ran faster. Stiles trailed behind him, following as fast as he could, desperately trying to catch up with Scott’s supernatural speed. 

When Stiles got a glimpse of Derek, he noticed two things:

1) Derek was wolfed out and crying,

2) There was a creature in front of him. 

The Erinye was half-shifted, or at least Stiles thought so, because she had her grey wings out, but otherwise looked completely human. Her wings were a strange mix of feathers and skin, which looked like she had stripped dragon wings and decorated them with several long feathers over the bones. She was wearing a dark red dress, that even though it looked modern and stylish, it was much like a toga. Her waist was thin and covered by a brown belt that looked like a braid -or rope- and she was wearing matching brown sandals. Her black wavy hair was gracefully hugging her shoulders. Her eyes were pitch black, like the pits of Hell –Tartarus? whatever- and looked wise and old. Her skin came in contrast with her hair and eyes, as it was pale white, like a visual presentation of Snow white. 

Her stance was calm and collected, but her eyes were fierce and held power. She was beautiful, but in a dangerous way. Her pretty characteristics may lead someone to think that she is an innocent girl, but if someone dared to make direct eye contact, they would instantly try to avoid her and leave.

 

“You have to accept and take full responsibility for your crimes, young mortal. Let me cleanse you from your sins. Let me help you.” She was saying in an odd, but kind of British accent. 

“No!” Derek whispered and clenched his arms around his head, like she was shouting. 

The Erinye didn’t seem to have noticed the two boys running –and Stiles would like to keep it that way- and kept on talking. “Very well. Then I’ll have to do what is my duty on my own.” She posted and Derek took a step back shaking his head. 

They were 15 metres away from them when the Erinye averted her eyes in an annoyed gesture. “Step away, mortals. You have no right to interfere. Your time is not for yet.” She said holding so much power in her stare and voice that they did stop dead in tracks. She zeroed her eyes at them. “But if you wish, it can be soon enough. I have already gotten a taste from you, human. Just a little, but it was enough to know how good of a prey you would be, and how your death would be justified.” She said locking eyes with Stiles. “All of your deaths are justified.” And well, that explains all the nightmares Stiles got in a very short while. 

Scott growled and Derek fell on his knees, for no apparent reason. “No one’s death is justified, especially not Stiles’ and certainly not Derek’s.” Scott growled again.

“Is that so?” The Erinye asked with her oldish accent. “I am the one who is to judge this.” She snapped. 

“Why?” Stiles asked in a small voice. “Why are you doing this? Is it for power? Who are you?” 

She smiled at him. “I always liked you. Even before I invaded your brain, your friend here was thinking about you a lot.” She said glancing at Derek. “You are interesting and there is a great spark of life inside of you. So much potential.” She muttered scrutinising Stiles. “Such a waste.” She decided and Stiles shifted uncomfortably. “As for your question, my name is Tisiphone and I’m one of the original three Erinyes. As for why, it is my job and duty to keep balance and punish the sinners.” 

“No, it’s not. You are a deity of vengeance. You come when you are summoned, and you certainly aren’t supposed to stick around after a hunt.” Stiles said shaking his head and noticing Scott furiously texting someone. 

Tisiphone didn’t look annoyed, quite the opposite. She beamed at Stiles and made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a purr. “I see you did your homework. Very well, I will satisfy your need for information. I would claim that I was summoned, but that isn’t quite true. I actually found someone on my trip to the underworld. A lost soul. Someone seeking for vengeance. Imagine my surprise when that someone turned out to be my youngest daughter.” She started and Stiles was utterly confused. “We didn’t have the best of a relationship, as I often had to leave her alone because a mortal would summon me. She lived a lonely childhood. Even if I did my best to love her and provide for her, in her early teens we had a major argument and she decided to completely detach herself from me. She, like most of my children, didn’t possess any of my traits, but she was gifted with magic. When a werewolf approached her, she was just a lonely kid. She irrationally decided she wanted to be an emissary. I was opposed to that idea and that was the last time I saw her alive. My daughter’s name was Julia, but you may know her as-“ 

“Jennifer. Your daughter was Jennifer Blake. Your daughter was my English teacher. Your daughter was the one that sacrificed one of my oldest friends on her birthday party. The one that kidnapped my father, my best friend’s mother, and one of my closest friend’s father, to use them as a sacrifice and leverage against us. The one who played the nice innocent girl, to Derek of all people, to get in his bed and then use him for her own stupid vengeance plan or whatever! The one who cast a spell or what-fucking-ever was what she did to Derek’s sister, while she was already dying. The one who almost strangled Lydia. Is that the daughter you are talking about?” Stiles asked furiously. 

“I know my daughter was no saint, but her death-“ 

“Not a saint?” Stiles chuckled bitterly. “That’s an understatement. You are supposed to serve justice! What you are doing here, is injustice. You call yourself a goddess, but you are weak. All you want is your daughter’s approval and for that, you are betraying your own species. You are a pathetic excuse of a deity and a disgrace of an Erinye. What do your sisters think about your little-“ Stiles was shouting fuming, face probably red in anger, but he was interrupted. 

“Enough!” Tisiphone shouted and her wings stretched ominously, while her eyes shined a goldish-red colour and her hair turned into black serpents. “How dare you. How dare you talk to me like that!” she shouted outraged. 

Scott and Derek instinctively shifted in their beta form and stood protectively in front of Stiles. 

Tisiphone laughed at them. “You fools! Do you think you can kill me? I am a goddess. I am one of the three original Erinyes!” she shouted venomously and fully shifted. Her skin took a grey colour to match her wings, her delicate fingernails turned into metallic claws and her eyes… well, the sclera turned a blood-ish red colour, while the irises stayed that copper red slash gold hue. 

Scott and Derek howled and Stiles stepped back. Tisiphone let an inhuman cry, while the snakes in her hair hissed, before she shot forward. She easily dodged Derek’s and Scott’s attacks, and managed to slash Scott’s side. Stiles winced sympathetically, while Scott howled in pain, before he pulled his mobile out and called Lydia. 

“Scott texted me. What is happening?” She asked as soon as she answered the call. 

“The Erinye is fighting with Scott and Derek. Please tell me you found a way to kill her!” Stiles rushed. 

“I’m sorry, I’m trying but it’s a big book. I translated 50 pages in 10 minutes. I’m trying.” She said. 

“Well, try harder! I don’t know how long they can fight.” Stiles said and hissed as the Erinye slashed Scott’s leg with her claws and kicked him away. “Hurry!” he added and hung up. 

Scott stumbled back while Tisiphone clawed at Derek’s torso and kicked his knees hard, making him fall down. She used her wings to slap Scott away –and it worked- and then leant down and whispered something in Derek’s ear. Derek growled and did his best to claw at her, while biting on her neck. She laughed and quickly shot up, turned around and slashed Scott’s face, who was trying to sneak up on her. Scott let out a surprised but pained cry and unable to see, he lost his balance and stumbled backwards. She advanced on him and used her claws to open a whole in his stomach before lifting him and throwing him further in the clearing using superhuman strength. 

Stiles screamed and Derek howled and fully shifted. He attacked her bodily and this time, it was harder for her to fight him off. Stiles took off to Scott’s direction, but Tisiphone noticed his movements, so she twisted her body, grabbing Derek’s front paws and threw him to Stiles’ direction. 

When Derek’s heavy body collided with Stiles, he felt like he was hit by an oversized bat. They fell to the side – _on Stiles_ \- and Stiles was sure he sprained an ankle. Probably the left one. 

Stiles had too little time to actually think about his pained leg, even though it was angrily throbbing, before Tisiphone was grabbing Derek again, raising him off Stiles and preceding into spinning him around and throwing him as far as she could. Derek let an angry howl mid-air and then his back crashed a tree. An awful breaking sound echoed through the woods and Stiles winced, while the tree Derek collided with cracked and started falling. 

“You see, I wasn’t going to kill you, but you’ve given me a nice reason to do so.” She said grinning wickedly and kneeling in front of Stiles.  Stiles tried to get away, but she gripped his face harshly. Her claws scratched his cheeks causing a small amount of blood to dip from his jaw to his T-shirt. He winced while she started talking again. She seriously had a thing for villain monologues. “Uh-uh. Stay. There is nothing you can do anyway. Your Alpha will need some time more to heal and that pathetic excuse of a Hale probably broke his spine,” she said and shot a bored look behind her “he won’t be able to run and save you. You know, Stiles, now that I mentioned it, the Hales were always respected. Even from us. I once was summoned by a mortal seeking vengeance against the Hales. I have to say I refused to help him ambush them. This Hale you’ve got here, though… Well, I can surely say is a disgrace to the Hale name.” She said chuckling.

“Don’t you dare!” Stiles hissed between his teeth. 

Tisiphone smiled sweetly. “What are you going to do, honey? You are weak and human. How does that feel? Being the weak one? How does it feel, after all, you’ve been through? Isn’t it ironic that the only time you ever were powerful was when you were possessed by an evil spirit?” Stiles took a rock in his palm while she was speaking and clenched it tightly so that he wouldn’t do anything stupid before the right time. Tisiphone smiled at him and using her free hand, she whipped the tears Stiles wasn’t sure when he started to produce off his face. 

“I am not weak” he snapped, but he wasn’t sure he believed it.  _Now?_  Was all he thought before raising his arm to smack her with the rock, but she caught his wrist in time and clenched her fingers around it. She twisted her hand with inhuman strength and made Stiles cry out as the sound a bone breaking was audible in the silent clearing. Stiles lost control of his fingers and the rock fell on the ground. 

Stiles whimpered pitifully through angry pained tears. “Not fast enough, but you still tried. Like I said, it’s a real shame you are to die.” She said and realised Stiles’ wrist in favour to bury her claws deep in his thigh. 

Stiles was sure her claws dived so deep, that they were poking his bone and he couldn’t do anything else than scream in agony and instinctively trash in her hold to get away. It was a wrong move, though, because he only caused himself more pain, as her claws dug in his face and expanded the wounds at his thigh. A howl echoed from somewhere behind the Erinye but she ignored it. 

“Don’t be do dramatic, it’s just a scratch, isn’t it?” she asked with a twisted smile. She pulled her claws out of Stiles’ body, earning another scream from him, and examined her blood coated hands. Stiles let his back fall down while he heard someone stumbling to their direction. Tisiphone obviously noticed and tsked. She took ahold of Stiles’ face again and forced him to raise his head. “Looks like a puppy healed.” she said and painfully smacked Stiles’ head back on the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Lyrics Used: "Bleeding out" by Imagine Dragons.
> 
> In case you wonder what Tisiphone looks like click [here to see my failed attempt at representing her.](https://40.media.tumblr.com/bd65dc35df807c252961db580f555974/tumblr_nok6q3V2331qmixnjo1_540.jpg) (she was so much more badass in my mind. And she looks kinda Asian. She is Greek. Believe me.)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uploaded today so that I can upload on Friday and then on Sunday again. (There isn't anything else to upload after that so..)

_Just one more time before I go_  
_I'll let you know_  
_That all this time I've been afraid_  
_Wouldn't let it show_  
_Nobody can save me now_  
  
_Stars are only visible in darkness_  
_Fear is ever-changing and evolving_  
_And I have been poisoned inside_  
_But I, I feel so alive_  
  
_Nobody can save me now_  
_The king is crowned_  
_It's do or die_  
_Nobody can save me now_  
_The only sound_  
_Is the battle cry_  
\----

 

Pain erupted from the back of his head and for a minute it was so agonising that he completely forgot about the wound on his leg and his arm, making him release a loud cry. Tisiphone raised on her feet, averting her attention from Stiles to look lazily behind her. “Really, Scott? Wasn’t the wound on your stomach enough? Do-“ she was saying before a blurry figure jumped over Stiles and bodily collided with her.

She was surprised and let herself fall. Stiles vision soon became clearer –and he could feel his leg, ankle and wrist again- and he realised that the blurry figure was Malia. He smiled faintly at her and then raised his hand to reach behind his skull. It was wet and uncomfortable, while even the slight touch of his fingers felt unbearable. When he brought his hand back into his line of vision, it was bloody. 

He was positive that he had a concussion and he remembered that he shouldn’t sleep, even if closing his eyes sounded like a brilliant idea at the moment. He was progressively getting more and more uncomfortable, as blood was pooling under his head and under his legs. The pain was agonising and he was constantly tearing up and panting.

 

He was losing too much blood and the fact that he was becoming light-headed wasn’t a good sign. He was blinking lazily, trying to stay awake, but his eyes stank, he was miserable and wet of his own blood and body liquids and he was in so much pain that he could pass out just to avoid the agony. He was also ruining his favourite Cap t-shirt. It couldn’t go back now.  _How do you even get rid of blood stains?_  was what he was thinking when suddenly Jackson’s face came into his line of vision and forced him to anchor himself back in reality. 

“Don’t even think about sleeping, Stilinski.” Jackson hissed and hovered above him, checking his wounds, without quite touching him.

“Hey… Jacks’n.” Stiles said dazed and let his eyes close shut. 

“Don’t.” Jackson snapped and shook him lightly. However gently the movement was, it looked incredibly violent to Stiles, whose stomach rolled uncomfortably and his headache became 10 times worse. Stiles whimpered but did open his eyes to watch Jackson lightly touching just above his injured wrist and black veins travelled up his arm. The pain subsided and…  _oh! Jackson is taking my pain._  Stiles thought. Or said. It was difficult for him to catch up with reality. 

“You are so nice. Draining my pain. S’nice.” Stiles slurred and Jackson hissed. After Jackson winced for the third time, Stiles felt more grounded than the past minutes so he gently pushed at Jackson’s shoulder. “It’s fine, you can stop now. I can stand it now.” He said and Jackson nodded. “Thank you.” Stiles added and slightly shifted his head to the side so he could see the battle. 

Said battle, was loud and painful to look at. Tisiphone was obviously better than everyone else at fighting and the pack seemed to be falling and getting up restlessly. “You should help them out. And for a plan to attack.” He told Jackson who nodded and got up.

 

Stiles whipped his good hand on his T-shirt and then reached into his pocket, feeling glad the Erinye chose to harm only one of his thighs especially since he had his mobile unharmed on the other side. His hands were shaking and sticking on the screen, leaving bloodstains all over the screen and he couldn’t quite press the right buttons, but in the end, he managed to speed dial Lydia. 

“Hey,” he said and coughed, causing a wave of dizziness to overcome him for several seconds “anything?” 

“No, sorry. Are you okay? What is happening?” she asked.

“’M fine. Mostly. But Tisiphone… she is strong.” He said glancing to the side. “She is currently trying to snap Malia’s neck, while avoiding Kira and Jackson.” He said lowly. 

“Are you hurt?” 

He averted his eyes to his leg. “A little.” 

“Did you hit your head?”

“Yes.” He muttered. 

“Then I’ll stay in line. Try not to sleep while I translate.” 

“’kay.”

There was silence from the other side for a while but then Lydia spoke up again. “Okay, you know what? Talk to me. Do not sleep, tell me what’s happening.” 

“Will distract you.” 

“No, I can multitask. Tell me.” She demanded and Stiles complied.

“Derek’s a wolf. Scott’s hurt, again. Kira almost got knocked out. Liam is trying. Malia is angry. Jackson is fast, but not fast enough.”  Stiles said and winced as Tisiphone slashed her claws across Liam’s shoulder and kicked him while twisting and punching Jackson hard enough to send him a few yards away. She proceeded in catching Kira’s katana from the blade -without even cutting her fingers- knocking Kira on the head with the back of her own sword and twisting and stabbing Malia. She threw the katana away from them and dodged an attack from Liam.

The pack was badly wounded and while Tisiphone was much better, she was obviously growing tired.  _Fun fact: the serpents in her hair are poisonous. Yaaay._ Stiles thought when Scot got bitten buy one and turned progressively weaker.

 

Stiles was struggling to stay awake, ignoring Lydia’s words, when the Erinye threw Liam backwards –to Stiles’ direction- causing him to stumble and fall  _directly_  on Stiles’ thigh and elbow Stiles’ stomach. Stiles screamed in agony as a very fresh –very new- wave of pain tore through his body. He flinched violently and accidently agitated the wound at his head. Nausea was too strong this time, that it took over and he rolled his head to the side and threw up almost all over himself.

He barely registered Liam apologising and Lydia frantically asking what was wrong. The pain was too strong and too agonising for him to find an anchor to reality and he was already feeling himself drift away. 

“…how to take your pain!” Liam was shouting above his face. “Hey, Stiles, stay awake.” He said and waved his hands above Stiles’ face. “I don’t know how to do it…” he was muttering over the loud sounds of the battle around them. But Stiles couldn't focus, everything was too much; too loud, too painful. The world was spinning and the veil of unconsciousness threatened to cover him. 

“Stiles?” Lydia was shouting from the phone’s speaker –said phone somehow remaining next to Stiles’ head- while Scott sat beside him.

“Go help them, Liam.” He said and looked at Stiles. “Okay, buddy, stay with me.” He said and touched Stiles’ knee softly, drawing his pain away. Stiles relaxed and let out a relieved exhale. Stiles was really uncomfortable, as there were rocks and branches poking his back and head, and let’s not mention the itch of his own blood around him, but Scott taking his pain away? That made him ignore everything. That made him want to sleep.

Stiles could see Scott holding back groans so he used his bad hand to nudge him off. “’M okay.” He said and felt his eyes closing.

Scott gently shook his shoulder. “You know you can’t sleep. Open your eyes.” He pleaded and his voice was shaky like he was trying to be brave and hold back tears. Stiles whined unhappily but did as he was told to see a blurry version of Scott reaching for Stiles’ mobile. 

“Got anything?” he asked and stood on his legs. Stiles couldn’t hear Lydia’s answer, not that he could listen to Scott anymore, his vision was getting more and more blurry and the only sounds that overpowered the pounding of his ears was the loud cries of the fight next to him. He didn’t have much time to drift away before a warning howl echoed and Stiles blinked his seemingly heavy eyelids turning his head to the direction of the sound. His movements weren’t fast enough, though. 

In a blur of a second, Derek’s wolf form shoved Scott away, while Tisiphone had almost sneaked up on them. She went straight for Derek’s spine –which seriously, did she have something against Derek’s spine?- which she grabbed and pulled. Stiles was sure that for a moment he saw her claws poking out of the  _other side of Derek’s body_. Derek howled and Stiles right then threw up again, while the quick movement agitated his wounds once more and caused agony to burn through Stiles’ body. Tisiphone let Derek fall of her claws, right on Stiles’ left arm –the injured one, for the love of god!- Derek’s stomach was open and Stiles could  _feel_ the gaping wound coating his fingers with blood and… other things. 

Stiles couldn’t even manage to scream in despair or agony, but he was able to see Jackson going for the Erinye’s head.  _No! You moron, when did cutting the head of a Greek mythological creature go well?_  Stiles thought, but he couldn’t voice his thoughts. Jackson missed –thank god- but managed to cut a serpent of her head. The snake fell on the ground and dissolved into black smoke, before re-growing in her head. 

Tisiphone let an angry cry while Scott shouted “The wings! We have to cut her wings off and rip-“ he was saying before she shoved him –once again-  _on Stiles._   _Once again._  Stiles screamed.  _Once again._  But only this time, when he opened his mouth, no sound came out of it.

The pain couldn’t be handled so he let his eyes blurry vision hover over Jackson who had the phone and was yelling words Stiles couldn’t process, while Kira did cut Tisiphone’s wings off with her katana.  _Well, that’s something._  He thought as he let his eyes close shut. 

Seconds before darkness took him, he heard a furious wolf roar, but now that he let himself relax, he couldn’t open his eyes.

 _If this is the end, dad is going to kill me._  Was the last thing that echoed in his mind when he let the darkness consume him completely, when he only could look into absolutely nothing.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Lyrics Used: "Battle Cry" by Imagine Dragons. 
> 
> I told you I would use much Imagine Dragons.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fluffy.  
> Eurovision refrences because I was (still am) upset.
> 
> The next chap is the last. The Epilogue.

_I'm waking up to ash and dust_  
_I wipe my brow and I sweat my rust_  
_I'm breathing in the chemicals_  
  
_I'm breaking in, shaping up,_

 _then checking out on the prison bus_  
_This is it, the apocalypse_  
  
_I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones_  
_Enough to make my system blow_  
_Welcome to the new age,_  
  
_I'm radioactive._

 

 -----

 

 

The first time he came back to consciousness, he couldn’t do much. He tried to blink, but his eyes remained stubbornly shut. Faint traces of voices talking around him, made him want to surface. Want to listen. Want to focus. But however much he tried, he couldn’t. So he let his mind drift off again.

* 

The second time he woke up, he managed to twitch his fingers. But the room was quiet and he still couldn’t blink. So he fell back asleep.

* 

The third time he awoke, he blinked once or twice. The room was dark and almost empty. He didn’t seem to recognise his surroundings, but that may have been because of the pounding headache and the fact that his brain seemed to have gone on vacation. He let himself sleep again. 

* 

The fourth time he drifted to consciousness, he realised that his room was way too bright. He groaned and shut his eyes, while trying to properly wake up. 

“Stiles?” a familiar voice spoke up. 

Stiles slightly looked to his right, where his father was sitting in an uncomfortable looking chair, clenching Stiles’ hand. “Dad.” He muttered and winced at how dry his throat seemed to be. 

The sheriff exhaled relieved and chuckled. “You gave me great scare kid, I swear, I lost 10 years!” he joked, but Stiles knew it wasn’t a lie. His dad looked tired, he had dark circles under his eyes and there was more white in his hair than Stiles remembered. 

“Sorry…” Stiles said. 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” His father said and leaned closer to embrace his son. Although Stiles was uncomfortable, since his left side was throbbing and aching angrily, he didn’t let it show and let his arms wrap around his dad, both giving and taking comfort. They stayed there for a while, until the sheriff pulled back. “How are you feeling?” 

Stiles thought about his answer. He was uncomfortable, but not entirely miserable. His arm hurt when he moved it and his leg seemed to be personally offended because Stiles wasn’t protective enough over it and let it come to this state, but Stiles could manage. “My head hurts, and I feel that it is painful to even think about moving my leg, but I’m fine!” he replied and smiled faintly. “What day is it?” 

“Saturday.”

“Oh, good, then I’ve been out for a day…” he said sceptically. 

The sheriff sighed. “More like 2 weeks, kiddo.” 

“What?” Stiles said and almost tried to sit up –almost, because he realised it was a bad idea when he tried to move his left hand. “I lost the break? I have school next week?” he exclaimed. 

His dad chuckled. “Is that what you are worried about?” 

“Well, I did have plans for the break and  _oh my god_! The movie! I had tickets! It’s unfair, I think I already waited long enough _after the actual premier because of supernatural disaster_ , to watch the Avengers!” he said and frowned. “I also wanted to rest. I don’t feel rested, I fell un-rested. I feel exhausted.” he whined. 

His dad gave him a look. “Whatever you say.” he posted and went to press the nurse button, while Stiles tried to examine the wound on his thigh. He hissed when he tried to actually move it and his dad looked at him tiredly. “You are lucky she didn’t hit an artery. But you lost too much blood anyway.”

Stiles paused. “What happened?” 

The Sheriff frowned. “You don’t remember?” 

Stiles narrowed and downcasted his eyes. “I remember bits and parts.” he answered concertinaing. “I remember Derek. I remember making lunch.” He paused to mourn the obvious loss of his perfect meal. “I remember the Erinye. I think I talked to her and angered her,” his dad snorted “and then I remember… her claws…” he said, looked back down at his injured leg and swallowed. “Not much of anything else. It’s all a blur…” he trailed off. 

“It’s okay.” His dad assured him. “The doctor said that you may not remember much, but It’s nothing to worry about.” He added and sighed. “We tell people it was an animal attack.” 

Stiles laughed and snorted “Well, when is it not?” 

Before the sheriff could open his mouth the door opened and Melissa McCall entered the room. She smiled brightly when she saw Stiles and moved closer.  “Hey, sweetheart. How are you feeling?” 

“My head hurts and my leg is angry. Otherwise, I’m great.” He said and smiled. 

Melissa nodded. “Great. Don’t ever do that to us again.” she ordered and hugged him. 

“I can’t make a promise I can’t keep.” He said smirking. “I’m obviously attracted to the supernatural population.” He added and almost blushed at how that sounded. Melissa shook her head fondly and smiled at him. She then examined him for a little while before calling his doctor. 

The doctor informed him of his health state and went on the dos and don’ts. Stiles was barely focusing during the lecture. Of course, he knew what was being said was important and he should probably pay attention, but his headache was becoming too much and he was growing more tired minute by minute.

When the doctor’s endless speech actually came to an end, Stiles was relieved. The doctor told him that he should sleep and Stiles felt glad to do as he was ordered. 

And when the doctor left, Melissa rearranged his blankets and said that he should sleep and that the next time he would awake, his friends will probably be around. It’s not like Stiles wanted to do anything else, so he simply closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

 

 

When he woke up again, he was pleased to know that Melissa was right and some of his friends were around him. 

“You are finally awake!” Scott shouted and hugged him. “How are you feeling?” 

“Hey man! I’m fine. Better” Stiles said and scanned the room around him. On the left was a big window at which Derek was leaning against. There was a small table next to him that held a vase of fresh looking flowers. In front of Stiles’ bed was a TV that was quietly playing a movie Scott was probably watching before he woke up. Scott was sitting on the chair on his right and Liam was leaning against the wall next to Scott.  “Where is everyone? Is everyone alright?”

“Everyone is fine. The girls left 20 minutes ago to buy makeup stuff or something. Ask Lydia.” Scott assured him.

Stiles nodded in acknowledgement. “What happened after I passed out?”

“What is the last thing you remember?” 

Stiles paused to concentrate on his latest memories. “Derek almost dying on me. You yelling something… and… I think Kira cut Tisiphone’s wings off?” he asked and Scott nodded. “Well, that’s it. Then I only saw darkness.” He muttered and looked up at Scott. 

“Jackson took your phone and talked to Lydia. Ironically, the Erinye wasn’t that hard to kill. We just had to cut her wings off and rip her beating heart out of her chest.” Scott said and grimaced at the memory. 

“Who did it?” Stiles asked. “Who ripped her heart?” 

“Malia.” Liam answered.

Stiles nodded and looked around. “Are you okay?” he asked everyone in the room. 

“Kira took a while to heal, Malia was badly shaken and Derek sleeped for 3 days straight. Man, It was awful; I practically had to shove vital organs back to his body to help him heal.” Scott said in disgust and Derek snorted.

Stiles hummed. “Where is Jackson?” 

“He left. He couldn’t stay any longer here, he said his parents were getting too noisy and wouldn’t listen to him.” Scott replied.

“Back to England, huh?” Stiles said thoughtfully and then stilled. “Oh my God!” he shouted and everyone looked at him worried, searching for the source of his distress. “I missed Eurovision!” he added face palming himself. 

Liam looked confused and asked “What is Eurovision?” the same time as Derek shook his head and asked “Why do you watch Eurovision?” 

“My mum was European, remember? We used to watch it together, it was a tradition!” Stiles explained and frowned. “I waited a whole year to not watch it? I missed Conchita’s performance?” he groaned. 

Scott smirked. “Then you must be glad to have me as your best friend, because I searched the results!” 

Stiles gaped. “You!” he said pointing an accusing finger at Scott’s face –and wincing because he used his injured arm. “You are the best!” he exclaimed happily. “Who won? Please tell me it was Italy. Maybe Belgium? Tell me!” 

Scott looked confused. “No it was Sweden.”

 “What is Eurovision?” Liam repeated but once again no one bothered to answer.

 “Sweden? Which one was it?” Stiles said crooking his head to the side.

 “I don’t know, it’s not like I listened to the song. I think it was a guy though.” Scott posted.

 Stiles frowned. “Oh. Oh! The blond hot guy with the cartoon kid…” he said in realisation. “But Italy was so much better! Il Volo for the win” he said and crossed his arms in protest. “At least tell me they came 2nd.”

 “3rd actually. 2nd came Russia, 4th was Belgium and 5th… Australia? Why is Australia in Europe?”

 “What is Eurovision?”

 “They were invited. And  _what do you mean Belgium came 4_ _th_? It was so much better that both Russia and Sweden.” Stiles exclaimed.

 “Deal with it.” Scott shrugged.

 “No, I refuse to believe your words. Let me go back to my comma of obliviousness.”

 “You are not going back to any commas” Derek growled under his breath, while Liam waved his arms. “Can I not be ignored? What is Eurovision?”

 Stiles looked annoyed. “Europe's way of preventing World War III basically. Hunger Games but with music and glitter.” He disclosed -and if anything, Liam looked more confused- as the door opened.

 “Hunger Games?” a familiar voice spoke up and everyone’s attention snapped at the door. There stood a tall blond boy wearing one of his infamous scarves -and really, Stiles would have thought that going to France would give him a sense of  _actual_  fashion- looking smug.

 “Isaac!” Scott beamed and Isaac approached them. “Hey, man! I thought you wouldn’t come for a week or two more.” He added and side hugged Isaac in an Alpha gesture.

 Isaac smiled. “Hey guys” he said and crooked his head to take a better look on Stiles. “Hey, Stiles. Looking good I see…” he greeted and smirked.

 “Shut up.” Stiles said and crossed his arms again. “I would throw something on your smirking face, but there is nothing to grab around me.” He added but smiled before his attention averted back to Liam who shifted uncomfortably.

 Isaac turned to look at Liam and gave him a scrutinizing look. “That is your new beta?” he asked Scott. “I imagined him… older…”

 “Thanks.” Liam posted.

 Isaac smiled. “I like him” he decided and went next to Derek. “How is it going?”

 

 

They talked for a while -basically Isaac was telling everyone about his time in France, where he met a pixie, a beautiful one with large green turquoise wings that told him the history of the history of the mythical creatures- before the door opened and the girls entered the room. Everyone beamed and greeted Isaac warmingly, while they declared their relief at Stiles being awake again. Lydia squeezed him in a hug after kissing his forehead and cheek, successfully leaving lipstick marks on his face, while Kira affectionately ruffled his hair and Malia squeezed his good leg reassuringly.

By the time Stiles felt himself drifting away he was pleasantly tired and cosy. If he was being honest, he felt like a stuffed animal, as everyone touched him once or twice, but it wasn't like he was complaining, quite the opposite; he loved it. He fell asleep at the sound of his friends talking and joking around him, while the last sound he remembered was everyone’s gleeful laugh at a joke Isaac said on  _his_  expense. He wasn’t even mad at him though. He was just glad to be around people he cares for, people he loved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you see that?? ISAAC! <3
> 
> Song Lyrics Used: "Radioactive" By Imagine Dragons. (obviously)


	19. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's actually the first sex scene I ever attempted at writing so... you know... I tried.  
> I hope it doesn't suck.  
> btw, this is the longest chapter I have ever written so that's something.

_Listen to the sound of thunder,_  
Rolling in the soul down under.  
Far beneath the skin, it rumbles   
Step to the step of the drum that rolls inside...

 _And if we die , tomorrow_  
_What’ll we have to show?_  
_For the wicked ways_  
_Down below_  
_The rhythm inside is telling us._  
_We can fly tomorrow,_  
_On the beautiful wind that blows,_  
_On a cosmic track, love attack_  
I‘m gonna get that rhythm back.

\------

 

 

2 moths later.

 

Stiles should have known that getting injuries like his, would be a hardship to heal. He guessed it would be difficult, but he didn’t expect it to be that bad. The first month, he was highly uncomfortable. He couldn’t quite use his crutches rightly, as left leg was injured the same time as his left wrist was broken. Not a good combination. He struggled a lot but in the end, he managed to get a routine. It was difficult at first, and highly painful, but he got used to it. Last week, he finished another school year and he successfully managed to pass every school class –finals he apparently had to attend to even if he was badly injured, of course.

 

Anyway. He was good as new now! Mostly. His ankle was fine, he got his wrist out of the cast and the only thing that was bothering him was his thigh. He got the stitches off a month ago, but his leg decided that every now and then it should hurt. His doctor told him that, since no nerves were really damaged, he should be able to walk and run just fine for some more months. Stiles was grateful, of course, but he still got pissed off whenever he used his leg too much and it angrily protested. He just wanted the damn thing to heal already.

He didn’t use his car that much lately due to his injuries, but now that his leg was fine again, so he was glad to just go for a drive around the town when he got bored at home. He always played the music loud and sang along the lyrics and smiled at the people he knew. He usually ended up driving at different fast food stores and get a snack, or at some of these cute little shops that sell ice-cream and frozen yoghurt all year round, or sometimes, he would just go to Scott’s.

 

This time though, he decided to stop at Derek’s loft. He hadn’t seen Derek for a while and it was weird. He couldn’t really go to the loft while he still had to use crutches to move, so he only saw him when Scott called him to his house and Stiles happened to be there –which wasn’t very often. He felt… short of empty without Derek’s looming presence. He didn’t want to think why he would feel like that, so he just ignored the thought and drove to the loft. He parked and climbed the stairs to Derek’s floor carefully, so that he wouldn’t put too much pressure on his thigh. 

He was surprised to find Derek leaning against the doorway looking at him expectantly. “You should get an elevator.” Stiles grumped annoyed. 

“Exercise is good for your leg.” Derek responded. 

“Yeah, you wouldn’t think like that if it was  _your_ thigh hurting every time you overused it.” Stiles said and walked past Derek in the loft. He made himself comfortable on the couch and leaned back. “How are you?” he asked with a smile.

Derek raised an eyebrow. “You came here to ask how I am?” he asked and sat next to Stiles.

“Why not? I haven’t seen you in a while. I guess I missed your grumpy face.” Stiles shrugged and Derek hummed. Silence seemed to stretch out before Stiles spoke up again. “Really though, are you okay? No one seems to ask you a lot.” Stiles said suddenly serious and turned his body so that he didn’t have to shift his neck to watch Derek.

 “Why wouldn’t I be? I’m fine, Stiles. It’s you we should be worried about.” Derek replied truthfully. At Stiles questioning look, Derek turned his body fully to his direction and continued. “How are you feeling? How is your leg?”

Stiles stayed uncharacteristically silent for a few seconds. “Like I said, sometimes it aches, especially after a long day.” He said and poked at his thigh. "Those times I just want to cut it off because it's mega annoying..." he chuckled and averted his eyes around the room before settling them on Derek again. “You know, if I’m honest… I was short of… paranoid over everything… and I had a lot of depressed thoughts before. Especially 3 months ago.” he admitted sinceriously. “Sometimes, I still think like that. Sometimes, I still wake up shaken, I still think everything is a second before going straight to hell. But I think… I feel like… I have healed, you know? It’s like, as my physical injuries healed in these 2 months, my psychology state improved. I don’t know how it happened, but it did. And I’m happy.” He finished.

 Derek intensely looked at him for several seconds. “I’m proud of you.” He said and actually genuinely smiled. It was a breathtaking smile. Stiles knew Derek didn’t smile much and when he did it wasn’t that… truthful. Stiles couldn’t help himself but smile back. His eyes almost watered at how touched he felt at Derek’s sincere words and at how Derek showed off that beautiful smile just for  _him_.

Stiles broke eye contact and shyly looked at Derek’s chest. “Thanks” he said and raised his head again to look back at Derek’s eyes, who was looking at him like he was the most wonderful piece of treasure on the planet. He licked his lips in reflex and saw Derek’s eyes following the movement but Stiles was afraid to move or say something, because he was pretty sure he would destroy the moment. He didn't have much time to do anything anyway because in a matter of seconds somehow his lips were on Derek’s. He wasn't sure who moved first, but there they were. Kissing. And God, did it feel  _right_.

The kiss was soft and sweet and Stiles thought it lasted for hours. At some point Derek’s hands hugged Stiles’s waist and Stiles placed his right one at the back of Derek’s neck and the left over his rapidly beating heart. 

When Derek broke the kiss to allow both of them to breathe again, he used his right hand to cup Stiles’ cheek affectionately. “You are beautiful” he said and kissed him again. Their second kiss was also sweet but as time passed on, it became more lustful and passionate. Stiles gasped and Derek took it as permission to let his tongue explore Stiles’ mouth.

His movements soon became more desperate and longing and when Stiles pulled his face back to breathe, Derek began licking and nipping at his neck, often stopping and inhaling deeply. Stiles was already hard in his jeans but he didn’t dare too much of anything to disturb Derek, apart from moving his hand into his hair. 

He tugged at Derek’s hair to raise his head and kiss him, while they shifted on the couch and laid his back on the soft fabric. His right thigh pressed against Derek’s groin, earning him a delicious moan against his mouth and he was glad to find that Derek was also hard. Derek’s hand slipped past the hem of his shirt and suddenly Stiles felt too hot. He gave an experimental thrust upward and the friction was enough for both of them to moan loudly. 

He squinted under Derek trying to remove his shirt and Derek seemed to notice because the next second, Derek was gripping the hem of his shirt and removing it like it had personally offended him. He stood there for a second, looking at Stiles’ exposed skin and Stiles felt uncomfortable, since he was half naked in front of someone that looked like a Greek god. Derek flashed his wolf eyes at Stiles appreciatively and muttered something that suspiciously sounded like “mine”. 

Stiles blushed under the scrutinizing look. “Come on” he muttered and urged Derek to lean down again. Derek went willingly and started licking and kissing Stiles’ collarbones. Stiles soon tugged at Derek’s shirt too, muttering broken ‘off’s, waiting for Derek to take the hint.

Derek, though, was too preoccupied lavishing Stiles’ skin that he continued licking and biting him until Stiles has to shove him to get him to remove the offending clothing. Derek made an annoyed noise at being interrupted, but with one smooth movement, he took his shirt off and threw it somewhere behind him in the room. Stiles paused and took in the marvellous body of Derek Hale. He made an awed sound and reached with his hand to caress the well-defined abs and chest, because well,  _now he could_. Derek smirked, leaned down, gave thrust at Stiles groin and attacked his lips again. 

Stiles was too overwhelmed by the sensations and painfully hard in his jeans and he just desperately needed to get them off. He whimpered and moaned and whined when he tried thrusting up and his erection rubbed against his zipper. Derek made a soothing sound and reached between them to unzip both of their jeans. Stiles let a sigh of relief, while muttering nonsense consisting of “Yes, yeah, Derek”. He wrapped his legs around Derek’s waist and thrust up and-  _holy shit, this is perfect._  The friction he got sent him straight to heaven and he couldn’t do much of anything than make needy sounds asking for  _more._  

Derek hugged his middle and suddenly sat up, dragging a surprised Stiles with him, while his hands moved lower to the swell of Stiles’ ass and firmly squeezed. Stiles let a loud moan and a whimper as Derek stood up, off the couch, and walked to the bed. He kneeled at the soft mattress and gently placed Stiles down again, never stopping kissing him. “Want you. I- I need to-“ Stiles was trying to say between kisses, but before he could finish his thoughts Derek cupped him through the fabric of his clothes making him moan and lose his train of thought.

Derek went for his throat again and muttered “mine” all over Stiles’ skin. “Yours.” Stiles replied and Derek looked up and flashed his eyes at Stiles and gave him another sloppy kiss.

 

Everything was too good, too hot, too  _fucking good,_ and Stiles was sure he could come there and then, but that wasn’t what he wanted. He wanted to  _feel_  Derek. All of him. “I want you- I need you inside” he moaned at Derek’s mouth. 

Derek froze and looked at him. “Are you sure?” he asked. His hair was ruffled, his lips pink and he was so unbelievably beautiful, that Stiles didn’t know why he denied his feelings so long. He didn’t know why every time his mind wandered off to this gorgeous man, he shoved the thoughts away like he did with bad memories. Why he didn't even ever aknowledged his attraction to him.

He had no idea what he looked like now, but he raised his hand and cupped Derek’s cheek lovingly. “Yes. I want it. Please” 

Derek looked at him for a heartbeat or two before attacking his mouth and letting his hands grab the waistband of Stiles’ boxers and jeans. He gently tugged the fabric off and then sat up to get both of their clothes away. 

“So beautiful” he muttered and leaned back down on Stiles. With one hand he stroked Stiles’ dick and with the other he searched for his hole and rubbed there. He used Stiles’ pre-cum as a makeshift lube and slowly let a digit of his finger to slip past the muscle. 

There was a slight burn at the intrusion, but Stiles was too turned on to focus on it. When Derek slipped the whole finger in, Stiles had a moment to feel odd, but then Derek was twisting his finger inside of him. It wasn’t good, but it wasn’t bad either. Just slightly uncomfortable. Well, at least that was what he thought before Derek pressed his finger  _in the right place_  and caused Stiles to let a surprised cry at the flooding pleasure that came over him. His vision went momentarily white and his toes curled. “There” he said and Derek grinned and kissed him. 

One finger became two and two fingers became three and Stiles felt like a liquid of nerves because the process was too  _slow,_  too  _careful_. “Please” he was saying over and over again and he wasn’t even sure what he was asking for. Derek whispered soothing words in his ear that he couldn’t process because all he could feel was pleasure which was too much and not enough the same time. 

Then the fingers were gone and Stiles whimpered and clenched around the sudden emptiness whining some “no, come back, no, no”, but he didn’t have much time to protest before something bigger and thicker pressed against his hole. Derek slowly pushed his length into Stiles’ body, and Stiles laid there still trying to shake off the burning sensation. When Derek bottomed out, he let Stiles adjust and pressed sweet soft kisses on every bit of Stiles’ skin he could reach. Surprisingly, despite the uncomfortable stretch, Stiles erection didn't die at all and after a solid minute of silence Stiles nodded and said “You can move.” 

Derek drew back a little and then thrust back in and Stiles let out a loud needy moan. Derek went slowly at first, thrusting gently in and out of Stiles’ body, but then he hit the right spot again and Stiles arched his back. Derek tried to maintain the slow pace but Stiles tied his legs around Derek’s waist and urged him to go faster,  _deeper_ , and soon Derek got the message and gave quicker and harder thrusts that send Stiles to heaven. 

All the sensations were too much and Stiles found himself coming untouched not long after that, his orgasm completely blinding him as all he could see was white pure pleasure. It was intense and Stiles was pretty sure it was the best orgasm he had had till that day. Derek fucked him through his climax gently and when Stiles clenched around him again, Derek let out a cry and he himself came. He collapsed onto Stiles, but he was careful not to press all his weight on him, and stayed there until both of them could breathe again.

 

Soon Derek pulled out and rolled to his side and looked at Stiles awed face. 

“That was… amazing” Stiles said in a low voice and turned to look at Derek with a fond smile all over his face. 

Derek said nothing and kept staring at Stiles with the same look he had earlier before their kiss; like he was the most precious thing he ever had in his possession. His face was so full of emotion that Stiles had to frown and ask him what’s wrong. “Nothing just…” Derek replied and then seemed to rethink his choice of wording. Stiles turned fully to him and linked their hands together.

“You can tell me” he said and smiled encouragingly. 

“God, you are so beautiful.” Derek said. “I think I love you” he added and then stilled like he didn’t believe he actually said it.

 

Stiles froze too because… love? Derek loved him? Did he love Derek? His mind had gone overdrive. He was fond of Derek,  _very_  fond of Derek, and it actually took Derek to actually kiss him for him to register that he had feelings for Derek all along. Like seriously, how can someone even be oblivious to their own feelings? And those feelings? What did he really feel about Derek? Was it just a crush? Was it... love? 

Derek put on his usual closed of expression again and went to sit up muttering “sorry, I-“ but Stiles hand gripped Derek’s tighter and forced him to sit back down. Derek was  _in love_  with  _him_? Did Stiles love him back? 

Stiles mind took a second to catch up and actually analyze what he was feeling. He drifted off for a split-second to all the times he was with Derek since he met him. Memories of the time at the preserve, to the first time that Stiles actually feared for Derek's life at the elevator, to the time when he genuinely thought Derek died and to, not so long ago, when Derek was crying in the bathroom. What he felt for Derek was a crush? Yes? No, that's not quite right...

Is it... Is it Love?  _Yes._ “Don’t.” Stiles said a little overwhelmed and a hundred percent blissed out. “I think… I think I love you too.” He muttered as his heart tried to beat out of his chest and smiled. 

Derek looked at him surprised. Then he let another blinding smile to spread on his face and he cupped Stiles' face with both hands in order to bring him closer and kiss him. Stiles thought their first kiss was soft and sweet, but this one? This one was too gentle, too loving. It held so much emotion that Stiles could cry there and then. When Derek pulled back, Stiles smirked and bit at his lip. “Does that mean that we have dates to arrange?” 

“Yes, it does.” Derek said and Stiles beamed. 

“Does that mean I get to call you my precious? My boyfriend?” 

Derek rolled his eyes huffing. “Yes it does”

Stiles let a delighted squeal, that he most certainly won’t be proud of later and rolled on his back happily.

 

It was all true. He didn’t know how it happened, or why, or even when, but he indeed loved Derek and he did feel happy like he hadn’t felt the last months. And that... that was enough for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Song Lyrics Used: "Rhythm Inside" by Loïc Nottet.  
> (Yeah, Eurovision just because)
> 
> The end is too happy for me, I'm seriously thinking about killing them all next time, jeez, this is too sappy, i'm gonna throw up. I'm sorry.
> 
>  
> 
> I hope everyone that ever read it liked it, it's been a pleasure to write.
> 
> *dramatically singing Adele* "This is THE END.... hold your breath and count to ten... Feel the earth move and then...  
> Hear my heart burst again..."

**Author's Note:**

> In case you are intrested,  
> My [twitter](https://twitter.com/LizaPatritsia), my [Tumblr](http://lizapatritsia.tumblr.com/), and my [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBv3DVSOZ3G_Tmm9wz7WDCQ) channel (if you watch my latest videos I will be forever grateful)


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